‘GOALies’ save lives in war-torn nation

IT has been called the Belgian Congo, the Congo, Zaire and more recently the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Almost as large as Western Europe, rich in minerals, with lush vegetation, DRC is also emerging from a catastrophic war, which at one stage involved the armies of seven countries and several rebel groups.

Estimates vary, but as many as 4.7 million people have died as a result of this "low tech, high mortality" war. The equivalent of the population of Ireland was killed in just five brutal years and the international media paid hardly any notice.

But a ray of light is penetrating this darkness and it is being provided by the aid agency GOAL whose logistical centre in Goma is run by Limerick-born Dr Simon Collins and Donegal accountant, Elaine Mc Laughlin.

Following the recent volcanic eruption GOAL built two schools in Goma which now cater for more than 2,000 students.

Goma, which was the location of a GOAL refugee camp for 300,000 Rwandans fleeing the genocide in 1994, is about 12 hours flying time from Dublin but it is another two and a half hours to Manono, where GOAL programmes are making a massive difference. Despite being incredibly remote, Manono was once an important mining centre for the Belgians who created a little bit of Belgium in the middle of nowhere. Meticulously laid out with rows of villas, houses, shops, churches, schools, running water and electricity, it even boasted a 25-metre swimming pool, a small airport and a river port.

Now abandoned and lifeless, it resembles a surreal film set. The buildings are shells with walls covered in mildew and grass growing through the floors as high as the ceilings. Only ghosts and memories exist now, as nature reclaims lost ground.

One of the houses though is a hive of activity. Rebuilt by GOAL, it now serves as the base for their work in the Katanga province which is roughly the size of Munster, with upwards of 500,000 inhabitants. The nine 'GOALies' are literally transforming the place.

Conditions for the team of a doctor, two nurses, a medic, two engineers, an agriculturalist, an administrator and a field logistician are basic there's no running water or electricity and they work long hours. Officially it's a five-and-half-day week but usually it's six-and-a-half. Their dedication and passion is awesome.

Nurse Sandra Beattie, from Newbridge, Co Kildare, regularly sets off in a small boat loaded with her motorbike and a small tent. Her rounds bring her to several clinics and she has hundreds of patients to see.

Meanwhile Frenchman Dr Christophe Garro and Sinead O'Reilly, a nurse from Artane, Dublin, were planning the immunisation of 200,000 children against measles. Fifty teams had to be trained, 50 sites had to be identified where 300 children a day would be immunised.

It is hard work but in a country where half the children die before the age of five, it is vital work. For a few cents, the life of a human being can be saved. Without GOAL, thousands would be facing certain death.

In Manono Hospital, there's a barely audible cry of a tiny child. Lying in an adult bed the tiny girl looks like a lost and frightened lamb in a 10-acre field. A large tear runs down her cheek, her bones protrude, her belly is swollen, and her hand is outstretched pleading for some relief. She appears to be mumbling something but looks too young to be able to speak.

Later Sinead explains that the child is actually five years old and is suffering from malnutrition, the result of measles. Her name is Madelene Yumba, she doesn't know it yet but she's one of the fortunate ones. With GOAL's help, she'll make it.

Malaria, diarrhoea, measles, chest infections are all child killers here. What especially angers and frustrates the aid workers is that lives could be saved if the international community really cared. They don't.

Dominic Kihara-Hunt heads up a new departure for GOAL, he's in charge of agriculture. Having already worked in East Timor and Cambodia, and a fluent Swahili speaker, Dom is already working miracles. He has three agricultural centres growing rice, corn, maize and peanuts. Not content with his model farms, he runs training courses and is currently distributing seeds and tools in preparation for the next harvest. When I ask about the absence of animals locally, he wryly reminds me about the war. Most of the animals were killed.

Like the other GOALies, Dom is totally dedicated and passionate about the project. Neither a square inch of soil or a cent is wasted.

During the war, vast areas became totally cut off and isolated. GOAL engineers together with local villagers are now reopening roads and repairing bridges. Besides providing much needed employment and access to healthcare etc, the projects are also providing an alternative to warfare.

One village was particularly poor, the better off wore rags, the poorest wore nothing; their tiny huts made from tree bark, every utensil was man made. Later, I was to find out that this was a pygmy village and the villagers had just returned from four years in the bush.

Every day is indeed extraordinary because every day, lives are being saved.

If you would like to support GOAL's work in the developing world, you can send a donation to GOAL, PO box 19, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin, or make a credit card donation by phoning 01 2809779.