In April 2026, an Ebola outbreak was declared in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Powered by your faithful support, Lutheran World Relief is proud to have a leadership role in containing this deadly disease across the DRC, South Sudan and Burundi.
We appreciate your prayers and continued support, as the challenges are many. The current Bundibugyo strain has no vaccine and no proven cure. This is the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record, and it is poised to become the deadliest.
Dr. William Clemmer, Lutheran World Relief's senior advisor for health programs, puts the outbreak into context: "The last big outbreak lasted two and a half years and resulted in 14,000 cases. We're only six months into this one, and we are up to nearly 10,000 cases."
But, he adds, "We are not dismayed ... We have the experience. This is our fifth outbreak that we have managed in the past 15 years. We are equipped. We know what we're doing."
Local trust is the key to beating Ebola
Dr. Clemmer says our strength is in our relationships. "We don't have a vaccine. We don't have a treatment. But we know how to talk to the population," he explains. "We work through national partners and faith-based partners. We're trusted and we're known. The greatest gifts we have to bring are education, awareness, and compliance with things like handwashing and quarantines ...
"And we have a very active team of over 3,200 health workers that are out there now on the front lines, God bless them."
Your love reaches the front lines of the Ebola outbreak
Infection prevention supplies ready for delivery to health clinics in the DRC.
Thanks to the prayerful generosity of caring individuals and congregations, Lutheran World Relief's comprehensive Ebola response includes:
FRONTLINE HEALTH WORKER SUPPORT
- Training more than 3,200 frontline health workers to prevent and control Ebola infection.
- Providing personal protective equipment, safe waste management, and safe patient procedures to reduce the spread at health facilities.
HEALTH FACILITY STRENGTHENING
- Assessing more than 400 high-risk health facilities to identify gaps and strengthen preparedness.
- Supporting isolation centers to safely manage suspected and confirmed cases.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND TRUST BUILDING
- Developing Ebola education tools to correct misinformation and build trust.
- Working with local leaders and churches to ensure culturally appropriate messaging.
OUTBREAK COORDINATION
- Supporting containment across nine states and provinces, including 49 health zones in the DRC alone.
- Aligning our efforts with the Ministry of Health and international partners.
LWR Quilts and Kits reach the Ebola epicenter
Quilt distribution in eastern DRC in 2024.
One container of Lutheran World Relief Quilts, Personal Care Kits and School Kits arrived in Goma in September. Two additional containers are expected to arrive by mid-December.
LWR staff are using these supplies to provide comfort and support to patients who have recovered and are being discharged from Ebola treatment centers. These supplies will help to replace contaminated bedding and towels at their homes.
Quilts and kits will also be distributed to vulnerable families in communities whose schools, workplaces and access to markets have been disrupted by the outbreak.
A long history that sets our approach apart
Local indigenous leaders gather to learn how to recognize Ebola symptoms, share accurate information and protect their communities.
Lutheran World Relief's Ebola response is grounded in something that can't be improvised: long-standing local relationships.
For more than 25 years, we’ve worked alongside communities across the DRC. This is the fifth Ebola outbreak we have managed. And, because we were already supporting health programs in 28 health zones, we were there when the outbreak struck — trusted, connected, and ready.
During the last Ebola outbreak, we were one of the only organizations that was able to work consistently in the epicenter. While others were deterred by violence and distrust, our local leadership and partnerships with local faith communities ensured our messages and treatments were trusted when our neighbors needed them most.
Your generosity makes all of this possible
Because of you, families are able to stay safe. Health workers and hospitals have the supplies and protection they need to treat patients safely. Community leaders have the knowledge to guide their communities with accurate information.
As this critical lifesaving effort continues, thank you for praying for our staff, our partners and our neighbors as we work together to end this outbreak.
And thank you for walking alongside us to save lives with your compassion and generosity.