Conflict, Communities and the Response in Eastern DRC

In our second episode, we are looking at two emergencies unfolding at the same time in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo: the Ebola epidemic and the continuing violence affecting communities, mainly across Ituri and North Kivu. How does conflict affect the ability to detect cases, trace contacts and provide treatment? What happens to families when fear of Ebola is added to displacement, violence and the disruption of basic services? And what needs to change if the response is to reach communities living in the most difficult conditions? The conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been dubbed a “forever war”, a perpetual cycle of war, civil unrest, and local feuds over power and identity. Senior Ebola Coordinator, Julien Harneis, speaks with Sandrine Lusamba and Jason Stearns. Sandrine is National Coordinator of SOFEPADI, and an advocate for women’s rights, civilian protection and women’s participation in peacebuilding. Jason is a political scientist, author and specialist on conflict and political violence in the DRC. He is an Associate Professor at Simon Fraser University, founder of the Congo Research Group and strategic adviser to Ebuteli.

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Holly Curtis

Assistant Provost for Corporate Relations at Fordham University

Holly Curtis is an accomplished education leader, currently serving as the Assistant Provost for Corporate Relations at Fordham University. In this role, she fosters partnerships between academia and industry, driving innovative collaborations and advancing strategic goals. Prior to this, Holly was the Chief of Staff at Ascend Public Charter Schools, where she oversaw strategic planning for one of New York’s largest charter networks, and she also led MBA Admissions at NYU Stern School of Business.
With a strong background in strategic leadership, education management, program development, and recruitment, Holly’s career began in international development with Pencils of Promise in Laos. Her work there shaped her expertise in strategic planning and talent development.

Holly holds an MBA from NYU Stern and a BA in International Political Economy from Fordham University. She is deeply committed to advancing diversity and inclusion, and is a certified administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). She is also an alumna of NYU’s Global Inclusive Leadership Management Institute.

Martine van der Does

Helen Hamlyn Humanitarian Fellow and Global Program Director

Work Location

Netherlands and Jordan

Martine van der Does is a Dutch humanitarian expert with over 20 years of international experience in humanitarian action, diplomacy, policy and education. With a background in architecture, she started her career working on humanitarian shelter at Delft University of Technology before moving into field operations with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) as a Construction Logistician.

In 2010, Martine joined the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where she has held various policy, coordination and diplomatic positions, including assignments in Afghanistan and Jordan. She has also worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Myanmar, focusing on protection and water and habitat programmes in remote areas. From Amman, Jordan, she served as Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Netherlands Government, covering humanitarian developments and crises across the Middle East. Martine continues her work with the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a Strategic Policy Advisor on Humanitarian Affairs.

Alongside her work with the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Martine has been involved with Fordham University’s Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs (IIHA) for over 15 years. Since 2024, she has been involved as the Helen Hamlyn Humanitarian Fellow at the IIHA, where she has also held the role of Global Program Director, contributing to the development and delivery of international humanitarian education and training programmes. She has also served as Course Director of the International Diploma in Humanitarian Assistance (IDHA) and lectures at Fordham University and Delft University of Technology.

Martine holds a Master of Science in Architecture from Delft University of Technology and a Master of Arts in International Humanitarian Action from Fordham University.

She co-hosts Corporate Humanity, a podcast produced by Fordham University’s Institute of International Humanitarian Affairs.

Academic Background

Master of Science in Architecture (MSc) and Master of Arts in International Humanitarian Action (MIHA) and IDHA 24

With the IIHA since: 2008

Current courses: IDHA and non-academic courses

In my free time I enjoy: Outside of work, Martine is a passionate cyclist and runner who enjoys endurance sports and ultraraces. She is also a qualified sports massage therapist.

“In a world you can be anything, be kind to yourself and the people you work for and with. ”