Emergency appeal for families fleeing violence in eastern Congo (DRC)

In North Kivu in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo the rebel group M23 has forced many of the local population to flee their homes and farms to displaced persons camps around the town of Goma. The M23 are attempting to gain control of the mines in the region. There are about 77 Quakers families among those in the camps. Quakers from Goma have been giving them what support they can, but their resources are very stretched, and we have recently heard that M23 have taken Goma itself. Those in the camps are in need of food, tarpaulins for shelter, cooking pots, cutlery and crockery, clothes, school fees and equipment and other basic things. M23 has now taken large areas of South Kivu, so many more people are being displaced, fleeing to Bukavu. Local Quakers are giving what support they can to the refugees but need our help. £23 will buy 25kg of rice, £30 will buy 30 litres of vegetable oil, £130 will buy 100kg of beans, £25 will buy a tarpaulin for shelter, £215 will pay school fees and kit for a child for a year. Please give what you can.