Key points:
- More than 600 households now have access to clean water through a rainwater project funded by the United Methodist Committee on Relief.
- According to Jean Tshomba, coordinator of UMCOR’s Disaster Management Office in Eastern Congo, the lack of access to clean water worsens the health crisis for families already weakened by conflict and forced displacement.
- The tanks are connected to rooftops to capture water during the rainy season and store it for later use, reducing the incidence of water-related diseases.
In the remote village of Kibumba, rainwater tanks installed by The United Methodist Church are transforming lives.
With financial support from the United Methodist Committee on Relief, 24 rainwater collection tanks were installed, giving about 600 households access to clean water.
“In Kibumba, daily access to water remains a major challenge,” said Jean Tshomba, coordinator of UMCOR’s Disaster Management Office in Eastern Congo. “Unlike other communities that can rely on rivers, springs or a piped network, the village has no surface water source. Residents depend almost entirely on rainwater for drinking, cooking, washing and maintaining their homes.”
Tshomba added that when the rains are late or when reserves run out, families find themselves in a precarious situation. “In this context, the search for water sets the pace of daily life.”
Marie Kithumbiro is a mother of four who has lived in Kibumba for years. Like her, many women used to spend several hours a day searching for water, limiting their economic activities and their children’s school attendance. The village is 17 kilometers (about 10.5 miles) north of Goma.
“Before, I used to leave at five in the morning with my children to fetch water more than an hour’s walk away,” Kithumbiro said. “We came back exhausted, and sometimes the water we found was dirty.”
Since The United Methodist Church built one of the water tanks near her home, she said she has more time to focus on her family and work. “My children now get to school on time, and I have more time to take care of my small business. May God bless those who thought of us.”
The work was completed in April, and the facilities were inaugurated at the end of May. The tanks are connected to rooftops to capture water during the rainy season and store it for later use. The solution, simple and suited to the local context, is intended to provide a more reliable water source throughout the year.
For several years, The United Methodist Church and UMCOR have been supporting internally displaced people through emergency assistance, including food and hygiene supplies. The Kibumba project adds to other initiatives of The United Methodist Church aimed at restoring hope and health in Eastern Congo.
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“In Kibumba, families have no choice. It’s rainwater or nothing,” Tshomba said. “Our role is to help them better capture and store this resource. With these tanks, we want to reduce the long walks to fetch water, protect children’s health, and give women more time for their children’s education and their economic activities.”
Tshomba also thanked Eastern Congo Bishop Antoine Tambwe Kalema for his advocacy on behalf of vulnerable communities. “His commitment inspires us and gives us the strength to continue this work every day,” he said.
The lack of regular access to clean water is also a public health issue. Waterborne diseases, such as diarrhea and other infections linked to contaminated water, pose an ongoing threat to families already weakened by conflict and forced displacement.
When water is scarce, some basic hygiene practices are neglected: handwashing, cleaning cooking utensils and maintaining living spaces. This increases health risks, especially for children.
For The United Methodist Church, access to safe drinking water is a concrete expression of Christian faith lived out in service to one’s neighbor.
In 2020, a similar project enabled The United Methodist Church to install rainwater harvesting systems in three health facilities in Eastern Congo, easing the burden on pregnant women and new mothers.
The latest rainwater project was funded by UMCOR in coordination with the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries’ Global Health team. The Disaster Management Office also received technical support on the ground. The activities were part of an integrated relief program for Eastern Congo that UMCOR funded last year through a $750,000 grant. The project was designed to integrate disaster response and health programming to address the needs of conflict-affected communities.
The water tanks also benefit the entire community, regardless of religion or social background. Some tanks supply non-Christian places of worship, such as the local mosque.
Mulemeri Pilipili Luboho, imam of the Kibumba mosque, is grateful for the church’s efforts.
“Before, during the dry season, we had to suspend certain activities at the mosque for lack of water,” he said. “Today, thanks to the tank installed by The United Methodist Church, we have water for prayers, for washing our feet and hands, and also to help our neighbors who have nothing. It is a blessing for the entire Muslim community. We thank The United Methodist Church for this gesture that respects and serves everyone.”
Tshomba said this project reflects the new vision of The United Methodist Church to “love boldly, serve joyfully and lead courageously in local communities and worldwide connections.” He noted that projects like this one serve “every person in need, regardless of their faith or background.”
Shabani is a communicator in the Kivu Conference.
News media contact: Julie Dwyer, news editor, newdesk@umnews.org. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free UM News Digest.
