ABSTRACT
DRC has been suffering from cyclical conflict and insecurity for over two decades, particularly affecting women and children. Often described as a protracted crisis, addressing the vast humanitarian needs in the DRC remains a challenge. The fragility of the context requires a different, more flexible and adaptable approach. Piloting innovative new programming in the DRC context has demonstrated in practical terms the flexibility and agility required for quality project interventions in a fragile context. Through my own personal reflections, I examine the successes and obstacles in my journey of implementing adaptive programming in the DRC, focusing on the need for comprehensive and regular context analysis and community dialogue to ensure long-lasting impact. I explore the need for local solutions to deeply complex issues, the potential for flexible programming across emergency, recovery and development and how the slow-moving humanitarian ‘machine’ can implement learning, adapt, and change.
