Socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on households in the Democratic Republic of Congo
5 iterations of the survey between August and December 2020
KEY FINDINGS
COVID-19 is still having a negative impact on the economic situation of households in the DRC, which is affecting their ability to purchase basic goods and services.
of households are still experiencing a decline in income. Levels are higher for low-income households. 77% of them experienced a decline in income.
of households overall and 40% of low-income households would not be able to cover their expenses for food, housing, transportation, etc., for more than two weeks if their income fell.
of households in the DRC have reduced their consumption of basic goods and services during the pandemic.
The limited signs of recovery, when comparing the data from this iteration of the survey with that of last month, are not changing people's general perceptions of their long-term economic situation.
Decrease in the proportion of households who reported a drop in income compared to the level of the previous iteration (mid-August).
This change is likely to be driven by more people being able to return to work after the lifting of the State of Emergency and other restrictions.
of households feel that their long-term financial situation is likely to be worse as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The majority of households are unaware of any support initiatives implemented by the government to help them cope with the negative socio-economic effects of the crisis.
About the study
The domestic restrictions imposed by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and the global economic downturn have created a challenging environment for households in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Households therefore need government support to minimise the negative effects of this crisis. The objective of this study is to provide analysis developed through direct household input during the data collection phase to support evidence-based decision-making processes regarding the effects of government decisions taken so far and the additional measures that could be taken to address household needs.
The study is the result of a partnership between Élan RDC and Kinshasa Digital. The initial August 2020 survey on the impact of COVID-19 on households was well received. This new study includes slight modifications compared to the August 2020 survey. Three more iterations are planned (October, November, December). They will include information on households across the country on a monthly basis in order to understand the nature of the challenges they face and how they are changing.
Results from each iteration of the survey are available to download.
Survey results
1.015 people were contacted for iteration n°1 of the household survey, which carried out between 31 of July and 13 of August 2020.
2.200 people were contacted for iteration n°2 of the household survey, which carried out between 14 of August and 11 of September 2020.