Haven for war orphans

Posted: July 1, 2009   By: Kate Coppin

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO - After going through unimaginable trauma, 200 orphaned girls now have a safe place to heal after OBI helped complete a new dorm at the Dina Center in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In the continuing conflict in Eastern Congo, over 5 million have been killed, and the UN has declared the Congo war as the worst humanitarian crisis in the world. The Dina Center, which was launched in 2002, aims to help girls who have been orphaned and sexually abused by rebel militia.

“These are children who not only lost their parents to the war, but many saw their parents murdered and were raped,” said David Darg, OBI’s director of international disaster relief and special projects, who was part of the initial assessment mission.

The Dina Center is an offshoot of the Dina Foundation, a Norwegian nonprofit devoted to reaching the DRC’s orphans, and named after the first girl to enter its program. Since 2006, OBI has partnered with the Dina Foundation, first helping construct a school for 300 children, and now, expanding the capacity of the Dina Center.

“When we first became involved with the Dina center, it was housing 60 girls and bursting at the seams,” Darg said.

But today, the center has room for 200 girls—all of whom desperately need the comfort it can provide.

“After talking to one beautiful little 9-year-old, I was heartbroken,” Darg said. “She had hidden behind a door as she watched soldiers kill her parents in their home. Then, she was caught and raped by the soldiers.”

The Dina Center is giving these innocent victims compassionate care—and hope for the future. Each girl receives shelter, clothing, and three nutritious meals a day. They attend school and actively participate in the church, where they have their own choir.

“By partnering with the Dina Foundation, we are able to care for these victims and give them back their lives,” Darg said.