DR Congo: Red Cross volunteers stand by their communities by building trust as Ebola virus continues to spread

Trust at the heart of the response As the outbreak evolves, the Red Cross response is adapting. Despite these immense challenges, approximately 1,500 DRC Red Cross volunteers remain mobilized on the front lines of the response. Since the outbreak was declared, their vital work has enabled 1,400 safe and dignified burials to help break chains of transmission, while more than 240,000 people have been reached with life-saving information to counter rumours and misinformation. Behind these figures are thousands of interactions in which trust can determine whether an alert is reported, whether a family accepts a safe and dignified burial, or whether potentially life-saving information is believed. Between 26 July-8 August teams collected 3895 pieces of community feedback, which included persistent rumours about an alleged “Ebola business”, conspiracy theories and mistrust of response teams. Ushindi, a 48-year-old motorcycle taxi driver and Red Cross volunteer for 16 years, was attacked alongside Dieudonné. He had heard rumours accusing the Red Cross, among others, of being responsible for the spread of Ebola, without imagining just how dangerous those rumours could become. The attack left him with partial paralysis of his right hand, balance problems and severe insomnia. He has been unable to return to his work as a motorcycle taxi driver. And yet, he returned to join the other volunteers. Scaling up the response to keep pace with the outbreak In affected areas, DRC Red Cross teams, supported by the IFRC and its partners, are working across multiple fronts: awareness campaigns, community-based surveillance, safe and dignified burials, infection prevention and control, and mental health and psychosocial support. Additional resources are also reaching frontline teams. Three containers received in early August carried more than 19 tonnes of humanitarian supplies, including 23 safe and dignified burial kits, 8,000 body bags and more than 2,000 units of alcohol-based hand rub. But as the outbreak continues to expand, the response envisioned in May must now be scaled up.