Despite the trauma suffered by the students involved with Action Kivu, many of them have been willing to share their stories (some in their own words) so you may better understand the challenges they're attempting to overcome. In respect of the privacy of those who asked us, we've changed their names, did not include their photograph or both.
Dorcas was only 13 years old when Rwandan rebels (FDLR) attacked Kasika-Mwenga, her home village in 2005. One of her sisters was killed in the attack and Dorcas was raped by two of the attackers. She became pregnant...read more...
Action Kivu is paying the school fees for Ntaboba (translated "no fear"). One of the children most affected by the war in eastern Congo, his father was shot dead 7 years ago. When Ntaboba was 6, his right leg was seriously injured by a grenade explosion in the jungle while he was collecting firewood...read more...
My name is Eugenie and I was born in Rwanda-Kigali but today am living in the DRC. I have two children. When the 1994 genocide war broke out in Rwanda, I was living at my brother's home in Kigali when the Interahamwe (Hutu militia) came to kill our family because we are Tutsi...read more...
My name is M'Mihigo. My husband was shot and killed at hour home during Laurent Nkunda and Mutebusi's attack on Bukavu in 2004. I have nine children and only two of them are still going to school because of our financial difficulties...read more...
Bujana
Bujana's parents were killed when the forces of rebel Congolese General Laurent Nkunda attacked Bukavu in 2004. Her father was killed and Kujana was raped...read more...
Bujana's parents were killed when the forces of rebel Congolese General Laurent Nkunda attacked Bukavu in 2004. Her father was killed and Kujana was raped...read more...
Kahumba
My name is Kahumba and I am 23 years old. The night of May 26 is a night I will never be able to forget. We were sleeping in our house when we heard a lot of commotion...read more...
My name is Kahumba and I am 23 years old. The night of May 26 is a night I will never be able to forget. We were sleeping in our house when we heard a lot of commotion...read more...
Mirenge
I am Mirenge. My father was killed last year by Interahamwe (Rawandan Hutu militia). It's now about one and a half months since the Interahamwe came to attack our village... read more....
I am Mirenge. My father was killed last year by Interahamwe (Rawandan Hutu militia). It's now about one and a half months since the Interahamwe came to attack our village... read more....