Displaced families in Eastern Congo struggle for shelter

Zawadi Sifa has known nothing but displacement since 2012. Her latest refuge, the city of Goma, now faces the escalating threat of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels, who recently took control of the area. Sifa, like many others, sought shelter at St. Francis Xavier Parish, a place that has opened its doors to the displaced people of eastern Congo.

Sifa, holding her youngest child, explained her painful journey.

"I came from Kisharo seeking refuge in Saké. When we arrived in Saké, the war worsened, forcing us to move to Rusayo. Once in Rusayo, it came there too, and due to the lack of shelter, we came here to Goma," she said. "When we got here, the priest opened this place for us. The school was too small to hold everyone, so we sleep outside in the rain, without resources or help.”

Inside the parish, there simply isn't enough space to accommodate all of the displaced people, leaving many forced to sleep outside, exposed to the elements.

Alain Bauma, another displaced individual from Saké, shared a similar story of uncertainty.

“We left our homes on the 7th of February 2024, and since then we have been suffering. We are in the city without a place to live. We were in tents, and we even left those (to come here). Today we are in Saint Francis in Goma where we are also being chased away. We no longer know where to go. May the leaders give us peace because with that we will be able to return home and go about our business," he said.

The recent M23 rebel takeover of Goma marks the latest chapter in an ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, a region where war has torn families apart for decades. For Sifa, all seven of her children were born during the conflict, with many of them coming into the world while she was on the move, fleeing the violence that never seems to end.

As the humanitarian crisis deepens, displaced people like Sifa and Bauma are left to navigate a future filled with uncertainty, while hoping for peace and the chance to return home.