Prudent (Prud) Zihalirwa, a young entrepreneur from the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, continues his DR Congo Diary, following on from his earlier blog on our Blog Pages.
He is Youth Ambassador for the Panzi Foundation, promoting social justice in vulnerable communities, and founder and trainer at Afrix Global, an EdTech start-up based in Goma. This is his latest diary of living in conflict…
Democratic Republic of Congo: Women and Children Bearing the Weight of War in Goma and North Kivu
By Prud Zihalirwa
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly in the war-torn region of North Kivu, a silent human tragedy continues to unfold. In Goma, Beni, Rutshuru, Masisi, Bunagana, and other territories under M23 rebel occupation, the greatest victims of this brutal conflict remain once again women and children.
I was fortunate or perhaps painfully privileged to leave Goma amid the crisis and travel to Beni, a town still under the control of the Congolese government, in search of safety and access to basic services. What I witnessed and experienced in both Goma and Beni was deeply unsettling. The tired faces of mothers and the hollow eyes of children best capture the pain of an abandoned population.
Goma: A City on Its Knees, Forgotten Women
In Goma, the war has triggered a devastating economic collapse. Hundreds of women who once survived through small businesses have lost everything. The streets are empty, markets are silent, and money no longer circulates. Prices are skyrocketing, while incomes have vanished.
In this harsh reality, young girls can no longer access basic hygiene products, including sanitary pads. This lack of access undermines their dignity, health, and, at times, their education. Some have been forced to drop out of school not by choice, but by circumstance.
As for the children, many come from families with no income. They fall ill, and countless have been unable to finish the school year due to unpaid fees. Hunger is everywhere. Many families survive on one insufficient meal a day. A number have fled to neighbouring territories, seeking refuge with relatives in Beni or Bunia, desperately hoping for some form of safety.
Beni: The Illusion of Refuge, the Reality of Despair
Arriving in Beni, I initially felt relief: here, at least, the Congolese army remains in control. But that relief quickly faded. I encountered displaced families mostly widows and orphans whose husbands and fathers were soldiers killed in combat.
These women, left with nothing, had hoped the government would step in. But the reality is cruel: they sleep under the open sky with their children no roof, no mattress, no food. The children roam the streets, begging from passersby, hoping for coins or scraps to take home.
When I asked some of the mothers why they let their children beg in the streets, their voices trembled: “People are more likely to feel pity for children. We adults no one looks at us anymore.”
These women have not only lost their homes they’ve lost their dignity, their safety, their stability. And despite their immense courage, they remain unsupported and invisible.
A Widespread Tragedy in All Occupied Territories
This suffering is not unique to Goma or Beni. Everywhere the M23 rebels have taken control in the hills, along the roads, in villages and towns across North Kivu women and children are in crisis. They have become refugees in their own country. Schools are shut down, health centers are destroyed or abandoned, and humanitarian aid struggles to get through.
Children are being denied their fundamental right to education. Women are being stripped of their autonomy, their right to health, security, and a dignified life. Some are exposed to violence, exploitation, and hopelessness.