Armed attacks have forced Helene Sebazungu to flee in the lush country, pushing her and millions of other Congolese into a survival struggle against hunger. Here you can meet Helene and get a glimpse into everyday life in a refugee camp in eastern DR Congo.
Helene has been living in the Kanyaruchinya camp since October 2022. She and her husband came here after waking up one night to the sound of grenades and gunfire.
The M23 militia had reached their village, and they quietly woke up their children and slipped into the forest to safety.
The children are so small, so it took the whole day to get here to Kanyaruchinya. Their legs were swollen and thick when we arrived.
Back in her village, Helene had a peaceful everyday life.
The family had a small farm and participated in village activities. Now, every day is a struggle for survival.
She lives with her seven children in one tent.
They sleep in the back, while the front room has space to hang some clothes to dry.
Helene’s tent is right next to the main road of the area, where heavy trucks roar by.
There are frequent traffic accidents, and many families in the camp have lost a child in traffic.
Others have lost family members in the armed fighting – or in the chaos that follows when thousands of adults and children run in the same direction away from them.
Like 6.3 million others in the country, the family lives on food, water, and other basic necessities provided by humanitarian organizations. The food aid is enough for one meal a day.
To supplement the emergency rations, Helene collects firewood in the forest and sells it at the market.
While she is collecting firewood, her children are alone in the camp.
I go back to our village multiple times a week to collect wood in the forest. I know it is dangerous. The biggest risk is being attacked. Many women are attacked when they are in the forest. But I have no other options if I want to feed my children.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a land rich in resources.
The vast country encompasses fertile agricultural land, sprawling national parks, and valuable minerals beneath the surface.
However, armed conflicts have hindered its progress towards a brighter future since the mid-1990s.
