Uvira: More than 200,000 people, including 104,000 children, have been forced from their homes in recent days in South Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with escalating violence triggering a surge in displacement.
According to Save the Children, the displaced children and their families are now seeking refuge within other parts of DRC, as well as across the border in Burundi and Rwanda.
At least 74 people, mostly civilians, have been killed and 83 wounded since December 2, with reports that armed groups are using heavy weapons on multiple fronts, directly attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure, including schools and health centers. Earlier violence had already impacted the province throughout the year, with 15% of South Kivu’s schools no longer functional due to conflict, affecting over 390,000 students.
The Education Cluster, a group of humanitarian organizations working in South Kivu, reports that at least four students have been killed, six injured, and one abducted. Local protection networks have also reported additional abductions and civilian deaths, though no independently verified figures are yet available.
Save the Children has a longstanding presence in Uvira, a city near the border with Burundi and the last major urban center in South Kivu yet to be hit by recent attacks. Despite funding gaps forcing scaled-down activities, the organization is preparing for a rapid escalation in needs and potential shifts in access dynamics should fighting reach Uvira.
Greg Ramm, Save the Children’s Country Director in DRC, expressed concern about the rapid escalation of violence impacting children and their families. He emphasized the urgent need for basics such as food, water, hygiene, and shelter while advocating for global action to address the humanitarian crisis.
The conflict in DRC has resulted in one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with nearly 7 million people displaced and more than 26 million in need of assistance. Previous influxes saw significant refugee movements into neighboring countries, and new arrivals into Burundi continue amid the renewed escalation in South Kivu.
Save the Children has been operating in eastern DRC since 1994 and in Burundi since 2016, working with local and international partners to provide critical services in health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, child protection, and education.