'We fled after the arrival of armed groups. I had to ensure the safety of my family,’ says Rafiki Dukuze, a father of 4, recalling the day violence forced him and his wife Ancila Niyonzima out of their home in the province of North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Rafiki had worked as a farmer in the village where his family lived a relatively stable life up until that point. Although the family found refuge in Bugiri, a town considered safer, security did not guarantee stability.
That moment marked the beginning of an unrelenting struggle for survival. Rafiki took on any odd job he could find but the money was never enough to make ends meet.
’Sometimes our children went to bed without eating,’ he says. ’Other times we had food with limited nutritional value, and our youngest son, Israel, often refused to eat.’
Israel’s health rapidly deteriorated and he was eventually diagnosed with acute malnutrition.
Fortunately, help came through an initiative led by Concern Worldwide, with funding from the European Union and in partnership with aid groups Première Urgence Internationale and War Child. The programme trains community volunteers to identify signs of malnutrition, screen children and refer them for immediate care. It was one of these volunteers who spotted the signs in Israel and referred him to a local health centre, where he began treatment and was given plumpy’nut, a nutrient-rich therapeutic food.
’My son is now receiving care and plumpy’nut at the facility,’ beams Ancila. ‘He’s slowly regaining his appetite. The doctors reassured me that his health is improving.’
An unprecedented crisis
Rafiki’s family is just one of the millions caught in the ongoing humanitarian crisis in DR Congo, where conflict has been raging for decades. It is the third largest displacement crisis in the world – with 6.9 million uprooted from their homes. The UN also estimates that 1 in 5 of the population will require humanitarian assistance this year.
In January this year alone, over 100,000 people in eastern DRC had to flee to safety over just a 3-day period. This led to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis – including a spike in the need for food and essential items. Cholera outbreaks across several locations and alarming levels of protection needs among vulnerable people were also frequent.
A mother’s journey to safety
While Rafiki and Ancila fought to keep their children fed and healthy, Mutesi Mururugwerwa’s ordeal was similarly traumatic.
’That night, fighting broke out in our village. As a widow. I was beyond terrified. I fled on foot with my six children,’ Mutesi recalls. ‘We walked for two days, sleeping in open fields, before reaching Bihambwe, a camp for displaced families.’
While the North Kivu camp offered relative safety, like many households affected by armed conflict in the region, Mutesi and her family endured extremely harsh living conditions, marked by fear, poor sanitation, and a lack of basic infrastructure. When the mother of six finally returned to her home village in Buguri several months later, she was also selected for a water, sanitation and hygiene programme supported by The EU’s partner Concern Worldwide.
Restoring dignity through sanitation
Thanks to this intervention, her household received a secure family latrine and a proper shower. ’Before, I was afraid my children would fall into the pit latrine when I wasn’t around,’ Mutesi says. ’And the shower I used didn’t make me feel safe. Now, my children can go to the toilet without risk, and I can bathe in peace.’
As part of this intervention, 150 secure family latrines were constructed, 75 shower facilities were installed, 5 rubbish pits were set up, and 2 water supply systems were rehabilitated. This integrated approach aims to reduce health risks, restore dignity, and improve living conditions for vulnerable households affected by conflict in eastern DRC.
