Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo – In the aftermath of the devastating fire that affected Chai neighbourhood and the Camp-Régie and Kisimu avenues in Bagira Commune, Humanitarian Action for Africa (HAA), with support from the Start Fund, organized a community awareness initiative to strengthen social cohesion and reduce the risk of tensions during the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
While emergency responses often focus on providing food, shelter, healthcare and protection, HAA recognizes that humanitarian crises can also strain relationships within affected communities. Competition over limited resources, misinformation and uncertainty may fuel misunderstandings or conflicts if they are not addressed early. Integrating conflict prevention into emergency programming is therefore essential to ensuring that assistance reaches those most in need in a safe, transparent and inclusive manner.
From 6 to 8 July 2026, HAA facilitated awareness sessions on gender, conflict prevention and social cohesion as part of its multisectoral emergency response supported by the Start Fund. The initiative brought together community representatives to discuss the principles guiding humanitarian assistance, including transparency, accountability, impartiality and community participation.
The sessions also created space for dialogue on the factors that can trigger tensions during emergency interventions and explored practical ways to promote peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and inclusive decision-making throughout the response.
A total of five community leaders, including two women, participated in the activity. Participants were introduced to the SEPO approach (Successes, Failures, Potentials and Obstacles), a participatory monitoring tool that encourages communities to assess ongoing interventions, identify challenges and contribute to locally driven solutions.
By the end of the sessions, participating leaders committed to sharing key messages on peaceful coexistence, conflict prevention and community solidarity within their respective neighbourhoods. Their engagement will help foster trust between affected populations and humanitarian actors while supporting a more transparent and accountable implementation of emergency assistance.
This initiative demonstrates HAA's commitment to delivering humanitarian assistance that goes beyond meeting immediate needs. By investing in community dialogue and local leadership, HAA helps create an enabling environment where emergency assistance can be delivered effectively, fairly and with greater community acceptance.
As humanitarian crises become increasingly complex, integrating social cohesion and conflict-sensitive approaches into emergency response is critical to protecting vulnerable communities, strengthening resilience and ensuring that humanitarian action leaves no one behind.
