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As fighting continues in the eastern DRC between government forces and M23 rebels, the humanitarian crisis is growing worse. Oxfam says it’s stepping up efforts to help about 80,000 people in and around Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province. M23 rebels took over Goma last week, disrupting humanitarian operations not only in the provincial capital, but in surrounding camps for the displaced. Oxfam’s Christina Corbett is in Goma, where thousands of people have sought shelter in schools, churches and elsewhere. She said, “People are trying to carry on with a normal life. They’re trying to go about their daily business. Most of the shops are open. Banks are still closed, but certainly the smaller shops are all open and people are carrying on as usual, but there is certainly a feeling that they don’t know what’s going to happen next.” There are electricity and water shortages in Goma. “Goma is very poorly resourced to deal with the high concentrated numbers of IDPs that have come here and in the surrounding areas as well. Obviously, without enough clean water, sanitation becomes an issue, and disease outbreaks are a huge concern for us,” she said. Oxfam specializes in providing clean water and sanitation. It’s providing assistance at camps for IDPs, or internally displaced persons, including the Lac Vert Camp on the edge of Goma, and the Mugunga 1 camp. Construction of water systems is also expected to begin soon at a new camp at Bulengo. | 
