Cindy McCain: “The U.S. Should Lead On Congo”
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After traveling to the Democratic Republic of Congo a few weeks ago, Cindy McCain urges the United States to support the United Nations World Food Programme as it strives to feed more than a million men, women and children in the region.
Read excerpts from her op-ed in today’s Wall Street Journal below, and the full piece here.
Since mid-January, more than 250,000 people have been displaced in areas of North and South Kivu provinces due to fighting between the Congolese rebels and the army. The northeastern corner of the country, near the Sudanese border, is even worse off. There the violent militiamen of the Lord’s Resistance Army burn homes, murder civilians and kidnap children to turn them into slaves or child soldiers.
In the northeast region alone, the World Food Programme has launched an emergency operation to feed 154,000 people — a tall order during the rainy season, when roads become deep, mud-filled trenches and even airstrips are turned into quagmires. Of all the aid organizations on the ground, it is the biggest and most diversified. In addition to providing food, it is the lead agency for logistics, delivering vital goods such as medicines, blankets and agricultural tools on behalf of other aid groups….
As the world tries to figure out how to cope with the economic downturn, we Americans are presented with the challenge of giving even more. The price of cornmeal has risen by 35% in the last year, and the World Food Programme faces a 2009 funding shortfall of $77 million for its operations in the eastern Congo.
In 1994, in the city of Goma in eastern Congo, I watched as a Danish nurse attempted to feed a baby who obviously was not going to make it. Tears streamed down her face. I held my composure until I got back to my car and then wept, too. That day, I vowed to do all I can to prevent such needless deaths.
I hope that my country chooses to save lives in the Congo by continuing to support the World Food Programme as it strives to provide more aid to the orphans, the sick, and those torn from their homes.
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May 14, 2009 at 11:22 pm
The Lord’s Resistance Army started in Uganda twenty years ago, terrorizing that country and abducting children so that whole villages had to be moved to protective camps. Haven’t they caught Kony, the leader, yet and sent him to the International Criminal Court? He was indicted in 2005. The US considers the LRA a terrorist organization, according to Wikipedia. I think we need to go after him like we did the pirates off Somalia.
May 15, 2009 at 2:39 pm
I am a product of RD congo. i was born there and now i live in the USA and looking back how my country has turned leaves tears in my eyes. i command what Mrs. Mccain is going for my country. may God bless her and i will do my best to help any way i can. Again THANK YOU AND KEEP DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND gOD BLESS YOU.
May 15, 2009 at 10:05 pm
I want to have a birthday party, but instead of gifts I want my friends to bring things that can be sent to Congo to benefit the people there. What are some things I can have them bring, and where do I send them to so that they can be taken to Congo? Please help me!
May 16, 2009 at 12:17 am
Hey, Rebecca. It’s so awesome that you want to do that. In all the ONE stuff I do, I never stop being blown away by the levels of compassion some people have. I hope that sticks with you forever. Happy birthday, by the way.
Sadly, because it is currently a combat zone, sending gifts-in-kind (stuff) is probably going to be pretty hard. It will likely be easier for you to have your frineds bring the money they’d have spent on gifts and give that to an organization like MercyCorps or OxFam or DirectRelief, it will probably go a lot further and do a lot more good.
Again, though, thank you so much for wanting to help out. It’s people like you that are going to ensure our generation is the one that ends extreme poverty.
June 5, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Ironic we have a republican leading on this where are the democrat leaders????
June 6, 2009 at 4:48 pm
There is a woman I met this weekend and she started helping children all by hersef from the wages she got from her company where she used to work. She has that website above and her friends started helping here here and there. Now she is building a school for the orphans in Uganda. I am she needs help she is doing a great job for those children. I asked her if she has children and she said she did and the youngest graduated from ASU in 2005. But go to her site she need help also from more people. She told me she registered here Organization here in the US and in Uganda. But people are not donating she ended up cashing here retirement savings to see that the school is built. You can look at the school she is building it is not finished, it needs to be closed windows, door, and the finishing inside. Please could you find her help from somewhere. I understand she is going back to see what needs to be done because they are in a rented building and they have not paid she does not want the children to be thrown out when she is not there. Judy, Please let me know what you think of here struggle.
June 9, 2009 at 4:39 am
Enough already……Africans must solve their own problems. Congo has a population of more than 60million people… Are you telling me they are all incapable of thinking to save their own country? I have met billionaire Congolese in Zambia, south Africa and Europe for me to realise their capability….what are they doing for Congo? Africans are capable of solving their own problems…if African children suffer while we are figuring it out, then let them suffer………I am so tired of the grim, pitiful painting of suffering African children that ’s out there…..
Are we not humans with the same abilities as everyone else? African need to help Africa….NO more Aid or Donations…it jus takes us backwards and makes us dependant…like pets…
September 29, 2009 at 1:47 am
I want to adopt a child from Romania. The international adoptions in Romania are banned and I do not know what else I can do. Monica is the child I am interested on and we know each other since she was 6 years old, now she is 13. She’s been in foster houses where she has no help, no love, and no good care. We love each other and I would like to be next to her so I can guide her in life and help her to grow strong and be prepared for her life.
Please if anyone knows what I can do, what will be the next step so I can adopt Monica please let me know.