In a region affected by conflict and displacement, basketball, jumping rope, and the simple joy of playing together offer students opportunities for connection, confidence, and relief.
Slap-boom-slap-boom.
The sound of a basketball bouncing across the court. Nearby, students jump rope, laughing as they try to keep pace with one another. Other children run across the playground or gather for a game during recess.
At Congo Peace School, these moments are part of an ordinary school day.
But for children growing up amidst the insecurity of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, ordinary moments of play can carry extraordinary importance.
Finding Freedom on the Basketball Court
Jérémie, a secondary student and captain of his basketball team, knows how much a game can change the course of his day.
As team captain, Jérémie also enjoys teaching other students how to play. That responsibility gives him an opportunity to share his skills, encourage classmates, and help build a team. But his experience on the court goes beyond competition.
“After playing with my classmates, I feel at ease. Motivated by spending time and playing with my classmates, I feel stress-free and relieved—especially when I score a basket or beat the opposing team. When I play sports, I feel free and relaxed—to the point where I even forget my problems, especially during this period of insecurity in the region.”
His words offer a glimpse of what recreation means to young people navigating the stress of conflict while managing the everyday demands of school. There are still exams to prepare for, assignments to complete, and challenges beyond the campus. But for a while, there's a game to play and teammates depending on one another.
When Childhood Is Interrupted
According to the International Organization for Migration, approximately 1.09 million people remained internally displaced in South Kivu from data collected June to July 2026.
The continuing movement of familes has disrupted communities, livelihoods, and children's education throughout the province.
At Congo Peace School, 193 of the 755 enrolled students have been displaced by violent conflict. That's approximately one in every four children. For those students, displacement can mean leaving behind familiar neighborhoods, friends, possessions, and the routines that once made daily life predictable.
The school can’t remove the insecurity unfolding beyond its walls, but it can create an environment where children have opportunities to establish new friendships, participate in familiar activities, and experience a sense of belonging. Sports and play are part of that commitment.
The Simple Joy of Playing Together
For younger students, the benefits of active play can be just as meaningful. Ansima, a fifth-grade primary student, describes spending time with classmates during the school day. She particularly enjoys jumping rope.
“After playing a game or participating in a sport with my classmates, I feel very relaxed. I notice a change in my energy and mood—if I was upset, I start feeling better again. When I jump rope, I start sweating all over, I get thirsty, and by the end I’m tired, but it helps me sleep well.”
Cigwira, a fourth-grade student, also enjoys jumping rope, along with ball games and playing with classmates during recess.
“When we jump rope with the girls, we feel good because it’s a team game and there’s no discrimination.”
His observation reflects something important about the environment Congo Peace School works to create: Playing together helps children practice cooperation, build friendships, and experience inclusion through the simple pleasure of a shared activity.
In a school bringing together children from local and displaced families, these everyday opportunities to connect are especially valuable.
Girls Belong on the Court, Too
When girls at Congo Peace School asked for a basketball team, the school listened.
With support from the Dillon Henry Foundation, which mobilized the resources to build the court, students gained a dedicated space to practice, compete, and develop their skills.
In South Kivu, where opportunities for organized sports are limited and girls' basketball teams are especially uncommon, the court represents an important expansion of what's possible. Approximately half of CPS students are girls, and the school's approach to equal opportunity extends beyond the classroom.
The campus includes a basketball court, football field, playground, and spaces for physical education and recreation. These facilities serve a school community that has grown from 160 students when CPS opened in 2018 to 755 in 2026.
For girls and boys alike, access to these shared spaces means more opportunities to participate, develop confidence, and experience the connections that come from being part of a team.
Caring for the Whole Student
Congo Peace School's 56 local teachers and staff contribute to a broader approach to student wellbeing that includes free education, two nutritious meals each school day, sports and recreation, and psychosocial support.
Teachers and staff are trained to recognize signs of trauma, respond with compassion, and connect students with additional counseling services when needed. The school's commitment to nonviolence and peace building is woven into daily life, encouraging students to listen, cooperate, respect one another, and resolve differences without violence.
Sports and active play are an important part of this approach. While they don’t replace specialized mental health support, they create opportunities for connection, movement, enjoyment, and emotional relief.
And students themselves tell us why those opportunities matter.
More Than a Game
For Community Sports Day and World Mental Health Day, we celebrated the many ways students at Congo Peace School find opportunities to care for themselves and one another.
For Jérémie, that might mean scoring a basket or helping a teammate learn to play.
For Ansima, it might mean jumping rope until she's tired, happy, and ready for a good night's sleep.
For Cigwira, it's the joy of boys and girls playing together without discrimination.
These moments remind us that children need more than classrooms and textbooks. They need friendships, encouragement, room to move, and opportunities to experience joy.
Even in difficult circumstances, these are parts of childhood worth protecting.
Help Keep Play and Wellbeing Part of Every School Day
Your partnership helps sustain the teachers, supportive services, sports facilities, and recreation programs that make this whole-student approach possible.