The eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is embroiled in a burgeoning conflict, which has already killed millions and devastated countless lives through disease, sexual violence and poverty in the last decade. Today, over one million people remain displaced by this conflict.

The Next Star Benefit Concert World Vision Canada is honoured to be the charity of choice for The Next Star benefit concert on YTV. If you would like to contribute, you can make a donation below. Donate to help children and their families caught in the conflict in Congo. You can help even more by purchasing Krystaal’s new single “In the Name of Love” from iTunes. A portion of the proceeds will go toward World Vision’s work in Congo. Buy “In the Name of Love” from iTunes. If you would like to better understand Congo and some of World Vision’s work there, check out the links below. See how a Canadian water project is saving lives in Congo. Escape to Canada: A Congolese man shares his story. Did you know cell phones can help fuel war?

Note: Due to the nature of the conflict in Congo, some of the following content may be disturbing for younger viewers.

Featured Videos

• Meet Elise, 11-Year-Old Sex Worker: Photographer Paul Bettings documents a young girl's plight.
• “They ordered us to lie down on the ground”: A young orphan tells of how she was raped by soldiers.
• Life-and-death Commodity: How accessible, clean water prevents rape and unnecessary death.
• “My husband was shot in the head”: Hear about Esperance’s struggle for survival through years of war.

Updates and Articles

• Live from Congo: In this live chat World Vision correspondent Anna Ridout discusses living amid beauty and tragedy in the Congo.
• From Congo to Canada: Forced to flee South Kivu, Robert found safety in Canada, but he worries about his family back home every day.
• Praying for Congo: Seven tangible items to focus on for those who believe in the power of prayer.
• News Release: World Vision urges the UN to protect children, women in Congo conflict
• Cell Phones Fuel War: Innocent people are being affected as groups fight over valuable minerals used in cell phones
• Update: The latest on what World Vision is doing in DRC
• Extreme Hunger: Desperate displaced people are robbing farmers for crops at gunpoint due to a lack of food and resources
• Rape as a Weapon: Sexual violence against young girls and women is being used to destroy entire communities
• Desperate for Safety: Tens of thousands of families are fleeing their homes with what little they can carry

Photos

• Eyewitness: World Vision is delivering aid and hope to displaced people in the Congo.

Video

• Christmas Hopes and Dreams: From Christmas dinner to a peaceful 2009, ordinary Canadians and Congolese refugees talk about holiday wishes.
• Behind Rebel Lines: With child malnutrition soaring, World Vision distributes much-needed therapeutic milk to children.
• Cholera Epidemic in the Waiting: A first-hand look at life inside the camps for internally displaced persons in eastern Congo.
• He Was Shot Dead: When her husband was killed, this woman fled with her family to one of Goma’s camps where she now begs for food.
• Using Our Children as Soldiers: See the chief of Kibumba explain why so many families have fled his community.
• A Year On the Run: “We don’t know what can happen. If it is the death, we had better go where we can find food.”

Audio

• Drowning in Despair: On the phone from Congo, World Vision’s Africa advocacy director shares a displaced child's story of sorrow and hope.
• What’s Happening and Why: From natural resources to the shadow of the Rwandan genocide, Jennifer Harold gives a brief overview of the causes of the current conflict.
• Why Rape is So Common: Just back from DRC, World Vision Canada’s Jennifer Harold discusses the country’s rampant sexual violence

External Resources

• The New York Times: How Congo's valuable natural resources have helped fuel conflict.
• CTV News: On the ground in Congo, World Vision’s Kevin Cook calls it the world’s worst place to be a woman or child.
• The Toronto Star: Recounting a history of oppression and failed leadership in the DRC.
• CBC radio: World Vision staff member Michael Arunga speaks about the deteriorating humanitarian situation and a recent NGO staff evacuation.
• National Post article: Jennifer Harold discusses the “world’s deadliest documented conflict since the Second World War”
• The New York Times article: Rape victims are breaking their silence on what UN officials call the worst sexual violence in the world.