How Child’s Smile of Hope Blurs the Scare of the Nyiragongo Volcano, and Tremors

By Geoffrey Denye, Sustained Humanitarian Response Emergency Communications Specialist

I was at home chilling with friends when our security guards knocked at the door. “By the way, come out,” they said. Why? We asked. @We are entrusted with your security, Nyiragongo is spewing lava,” the two security guards responded. “Please stop it,” we said not liking the joke.

“Come out and see,” they insisted. We did, and saw the red sky. It sunk in so quickly. I saw tears roll down the cheeks of one of my colleagues, another started to sweat. I remembered what I’d heard nationals say about the last volcanic eruption. Panic crept in as we imagined what was coming on us. It is a year today!

For me it was the tremors that shook me to the core. My heart started beating, like it would jump out of my chest. I want to leave. I don’t want to stay here, I said completely freaked out, as memories of the 2010 earthquake in Haiti vividly rushed back into my mind

Now I tell it as a story, but it is a reality that we live with every day that we work in the neighbourhood of this mountain. I always make sure my passport is next to me.

So why did I come to work in a context such as this one, you ask. I am serving people who are even more vulnerable than I am. I knew that I was coming to work in a fragile context characterised by armed conflict, but I also know that no place on earth is 100% secure. That keeps me going.

Although I feel we should have been evacuated quicker, it is still comforting to work for an organisation like World Vision that considers the safety of its workforce, as well as opens up opportunities for psychosocial support when we go through such challenging times.

On my own, I take time to jog, ride my bicycle and make time for Yoga to keep both physically and mentally fit and alert. Once you realise the options, you slowly begin to calm down and think about the reason we are here.

Seeing children suffering and trapped in the cycle of violence, epidemics, pandemics, hunger, volcanic eruptions, and poverty breaks my heart. But walking, working and partnering with communities as they brave it all to change their environment and regain control of their livelihoods is soothing. Seeing the face of a smiling child, slowly blurs the memories of the life-threatening volcano and tremors that took siege of Goma, at this time last year.

Stephania Noel works for World Vision in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and is the Chief of Party for the Dutch Relief Alliance (DRA) Joint Response.  The Dutch Relief Alliance (DRA) Joint Response in the DRC, is a consortium of six INGOs led by World Vision in partnership with CARE, Help a Child, Tearfund, World Vision, Stichting Vluchteling, War Child and local partners CODEVAH, FEPSI, Help Channel Congo, ADED, KUA, UFP, CFAD, ECC, Mavuvu and AJEDI-ka, to meet the varied needs of populations inside the Democratic Republic of Congo – with  focus on Multi-sector approach, particular on food security & livelihoods, Cash, water and sanitation and reinforcing child protection structures and Education.