Omagh woman raises awareness of Congo's humanitarian crisis

AN Omagh church volunteer is using a simple but striking Christmas symbol to draw attention to the deepening humanitarian crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Margaret Cummings, a retired librarian and long-standing member of First Omagh Presbyterian Church, has placed a suitcase and a water container beneath her Christmas tree to represent the few possessions families are forced to grab when fleeing violent conflict.

For Margaret, the items serve as a reminder that while many people in County Tyrone prepare for the festivities, countless families in countries like the DRC are desperately trying to survive.

Margaret has been involved with Christian Aid for many years, starting off as a door-to-door collector in her local area. She later became an area organiser, coordinating collections across various congregations, including Methodist, Presbyterian and Church of Ireland churches, before taking on her current role as Christian Aid representative for First Omagh Presbyterian Church.

Her fundraising work includes coordinating Christian Aid Week every May and helping to organise annual events such as soup lunches and coffee mornings, which have become well supported fixtures within the church community.

Her motivation, she says, comes from witnessing the suffering of others around the world.

“When you watch TV and you see people dying of hunger, being displaced and having to flee with their families, it is just horrendous,” she said. “We think we are badly off, but in reality we’re not really, compared to other people.”

Margaret explains that she chose the suitcase and water container after hearing the story of Chance, a mother whose life was turned upside down by the violence in eastern Congo.

Chance had owned a small shop in her village, but armed men stormed through the community, looting goods and attacking residents. When they robbed her shop and attacked her neighbour, Chance realised she had no choice but to flee. With her two-month-old baby on her back and seven other children at her side, she set off in search of safety.

She has not seen her husband since that day and fears he may have been killed. After walking 50 miles with her children, they reached a camp for displaced people near Kalehe in South Kivu. Once there, Chance found shelter but little else. She now earns around 45p a day doing agricultural work to buy food for her family. Like so many others in the region, she lost everything she owned in moments.

Christian Aid’s local partners have provided grants to help families like Chance’s afford basic necessities, but the scale of the crisis remains staggering. Fighting between armed groups and government forces continues to displace families across eastern DRC, where more than six million people have fled their homes. Hunger is worsening too, with one in three people in the region now struggling to access enough food.

Margaret said that stories like Chance’s highlight why it is important to continue raising awareness, particularly at a time of year when people’s attention is often focused on festivities.

“I know at Christmas, people are very busy buying presents and it can be a very commercial time of year,” she said. “But it would be nice for people to think of those who haven’t even got a roof over their heads.”

She added that the visual impact of the suitcase and water container helps convey the scale of the crisis to people who may only encounter it through brief news reports.

“When you see videos that they show in church of particular projects Christian Aid are working on, it really opens your eyes. It can be very sad. You see so much on TV about places like Sudan or Ethiopia, or recently about the 300 children abducted from a school in Nigeria. It reminds you just how much suffering is going on.”

Despite the challenges, Margaret says people are consistently generous.

“People are very supportive,” she said. “They give me funds towards Christian Aid every year, and I pass it on. Maybe it’s a challenging time of year, but it’s good to remind people of what other people’s needs are.”

Christian Aid Ireland Chief Executive Rosamond Bennett praised Margaret for her continued dedication.

“We’re grateful to Margaret for helping to highlight the urgent situation in DRC,” she said.

“The money she helps to raise allows us to reach mothers like Chance and her children. With support this Christmas, we can reach even more families.”

To support Christian Aid’s work with families affected by the crisis in the DRC, visit caid.ie/Christmas.