An endless war! According to international conflict experts, an open war can only be considered truly over when its end is officially declared. In Congo, this declaration has never arrived. After nearly thirty years of conflict, war has become, for many, a tragic normality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During periods of truce, children return to school and some economic and social activities resume. The population must continue living despite insecurity and violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The conflict officially began in 1996 with the liberation war led by the AFDL (Alliance des Forces D\u00e9mocratiques pour la Lib\u00e9ration du Congo), under the leadership of Laurent-D\u00e9sir\u00e9 Kabila. The rebellion was also supported by neighbouring countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1998, a new rebellion broke out against Laurent-D\u00e9sir\u00e9 Kabila: the war of the RCD (Rassemblement Congolais pour la D\u00e9mocratie), joined by the MLC (Mouvement de Lib\u00e9ration du Congo) of Jean-Pierre Bemba. Between 2006 and 2009, the CNDP rebellion developed, led by Laurent Nkunda. In 2012, the M23 movement (Mouvement du 23 mars) emerged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to the main rebel movements \u2014 AFDL, RCD, CNDP, M23, ADF, and CODECO \u2014 numerous other armed groups operate in the country, especially in eastern areas. State institutional control remains fragile across many regions. For the population, this means living daily in uncertainty, with personal safety and family well-being continuously threatened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Alongside resilience, a sense of resignation has also spread among the population. For many people, imagining a return to normality has become difficult. Everyone simply tries to do whatever is possible to keep their family going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Poverty was already widespread before conflicts intensified. Wages for many workers were extremely low: a teacher, for instance, could earn around 100 dollars a month, while political representatives earned vastly higher salaries. This stark disparity fuels the sense of injustice and abandonment felt by the population.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Unemployment is high and job opportunities are scarce. In this context, many women roll up their sleeves and start small trade or subsistence activities to contribute to their households.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To support these initiatives, we organised women into groups called AVEC (Association Villageoise d\u2019\u00c9pargne et de Cr\u00e9dit), through which they can access small loans according to available resources. Some choose retail, others farming, and others raising small livestock like rabbits, chickens, and pigs. These are modest activities, yet they represent a tangible path to survival and economic independence for many families.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The mission has become increasingly dangerous across various areas of Congo, particularly in the eastern part of the country, where territorial control is contested between government forces and armed groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My personal experience bears direct witness to this. I am a professor at the Saint Pie X Interdiocesan Seminary of Theology in Murhesa, in the Archdiocese of Bukavu, an area marked by the presence of the M23 movement. My diocese, Uvira, is divided between rebel-held zones and government-controlled territory. Travelling between areas is difficult and can become extremely perilous. The Seminary itself stands in a delicate situation, surrounded by opposing factions, including M23 and Wazalendo. In such an environment, expressing opinions freely on political and military affairs is not always possible. We must show strength, first for ourselves, but above all for the young seminarians living and studying amidst fear and the occasional roar of bombs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this reality, children are among the most vulnerable victims of war. Violence disrupts their education, separates families, deepens poverty, and forces many to grow up far too early.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For any child, attending school should be a fundamental right and part of everyday life. In conflict zones, however, attending class often depends on active fighting and troop movements. Poverty compounds these hardships. Orphans, young single mothers, and children from vulnerable families face severe risks of being excluded from schooling. It is precisely for them that we have focused a major part of our dedication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Through the Italian association Mapendo Uvira ODV, of which I am a member and co-founder, and in partnership with the Association Cha\u00eene de Membre based in Uvira, we have established several initiatives to support vulnerable children, youth, and families:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The conflict in Congo carries more than just a military toll. It reflects the faces of children kept from classrooms, displaced families on the run, mothers striving daily to feed their young, and youth watching their aspirations fade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even amidst violence, we firmly believe education, vocational training, university studies, and family support remain concrete instruments of peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
War can level homes and schools. It can displace communities. But it must never destroy the future of an entire generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is why we continue working alongside the children, youth, and families of Congo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fr. Tacite MULONDA ITULAMYA
mulondaitulamya@yahoo.fr
Phone: +393512425438<\/p>\n\n\n\n