The Bridgeway Foundation handed out food and non-food products on Saturday, November 16, to the 118 former hostages of the ADF rebels, gathered in Diango on the outskirts of Bunia. These people, released about two weeks ago by the joint FARDC – UPDF forces in the territory of Irumu, are still being looked after by the security services; while awaiting their family reintegration.
This assistance consists of medicines, clothing, soap, but also food, including beans, rice, soya, and even vegetable oil.
“We were really in need! People suffered a lot. There were many cases of illness. We are very satisfied with this gesture, which expresses the love and attention given to us. We had nothing to add, only God rewards the donors”, reacted the representative of the beneficiaries.
These ex-hostages will subsequently be reintegrated into their families, indicates Jeremie Sekombi Katondolo, the manager of Bridgeway in the DRC.
The latter explains that Bridgeway’s work supports the efforts of the Shujaa military operations, led by the Congolese and Ugandan armies against the ADF:
“We work in support of joint FARDC – UPDF military operations. We work on several aspects, including defection. To date, we have more than seven hundred people who have left this rebellion. We have also, with the specialized services, cut several ADF financing chains here in Congo and abroad.
Most of these ex-hostages spent at least two months in the hands of the ADF. They had been captured in particular in the territories of Mambasa, Beni and Irumu.
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