North Kivu: Kibirizi town without drinking water for two weeks

For two weeks, the town of Kibirizi in the Mutanda group, Bwito chiefdom, Rutshuru territory (North Kivu) has faced a severe shortage of drinking water. Standpipes installed by the NGO Mercy Corps remain dry during the day, forcing residents to get up as early as 2 a.m. hoping to fill a few jugs. People walk several kilometers to reach unimproved streams and springs, risking waterborne diseases. The Association of Volunteers and Entrepreneurs for Endogenous Development has begun work on new catchment points in the Kanyatsi mountains, 5 km away, and appeals for support.