Widow Zuri* (45) experienced gender based violence while going to cultivate a plot of land.

In photos: ‘And so, I fled’: DRC - the crisis the world ignored

Story3 April 2025Darren Vaughan

As our new multimedia exhibition launches in Belfast on the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo, we share the compelling photos and stories of people living in the east of country who have been displaced and directly impacted by decades of violence.

Their images have been captured by Concern's Eugene Ikua.

With funding from the UK government, Concern and partners ACTED, Congo Handicap, Danish Refugee Council and Première Urgence Internationale are implementing the EAST programme to provide nutrition, protection and livelihoods support to people affected by the crisis, including those with disabilities.

Maria Kasongo Mwabana (36) lost everything she owned after her village, Kabutonga, was attacked and destroyed in 2019. Her family were forced to relocate 30 kilometres away. They have since returned to their home village but have had to begin from scratch.

Maria Kasongo Mwabana (36) lost everything she owned after her village of Kabutonga was attacked and destroyed in 2019. Photo: Eugene Ikua/Concern Worldwide

When we came back here, we met people who had returned before us. They started helping us resettle.

Maria is part of Concern’s livelihoods programme and received peanuts, beans and maize to begin cultivating again. She now sells some of her produce at the local market.

Maria is also part of a Concern-supported village savings and loan association (VSLA) that enables her to borrow money to grow her small farming business. More than 70% of VSLA members are women. As well as the opportunity to save and borrow, members have access to training, including literacy skills, to help them build a sustainable livelihood.

Maria has access to literacy training. Photo: Eugene Ikua/Concern Worldwide

vsla

My dream is to one day escape poverty and do things that are considered important. I dream of being able to produce so many crops, like peanuts, to sell and earn enough to be able to get out of poverty.

Elisa Issa (23) gave birth to baby daughter, Jolita Maurice, just one day ago.

Elisa Issa (23) gave birth to baby daughter, Jolita Maurice, just one day ago.

When I saw my baby, I felt very happy because God had given me a new-born.

In the months leading up to the birth, Elisa attended four prenatal consultations at M’toa Health Centre.

Each week, an average of 10-12 women give birth in the clinic. Concern’s support ensures women can deliver free of charge and are assisted by qualified healthcare staff, and that treatment and medication for pregnant mums and children under five are also free.

Elisa Issa (23) gave birth to baby daughter, Jolita Maurice, just one day ago. Photo: Eugene Ikua/Concern Worldwide

I am thankful for the services I've benefited from here. I had a good birth and was not charged anything.

Alice Masika Nzangura (27), a mother-of-five, was forced to flee her home repeatedly due to conflict. She and her family found safety in a camp in North Kivu.

Life was very hard in the displacement settlement. Finding food was a big problem.

Alice offered to sew clothes in a neighbour’s shop to earn some money. Prior to fleeing, she had trained as a seamstress. Using a sewing machine again rekindled her desire to start up her own business.

Alice sewing

Alice took out a loan from a village savings and loan association (VSLA) supported by Concern, to cover the costs of fabric and start making dresses.

Now, Alice has expanded her shop, and is passing on her skills to other women in the community.

Alice teaching

My shop has been open for a year. I have been able to buy five sewing machines and have trained six people. There is work and a business from selling the fabrics that I purchase. I can make five dresses in a day.

Alice Masika Nzangura (27) runs her own dressmaking shop and is passing on her skills to other women in the community. Photo: Eugene Ikua

From difficult circumstances, Alice now predicts that in a year’s time, she will be “a boss lady”.

Zuri* (45), a widow, earns a living from growing cassava, maize, beans and peanuts, but finds it difficult to make ends meet.

Ana

It has been seven years since my husband passed away,” she said. “Since then, life has become very difficult. I am the only one supporting the family. I farm alone, there's nobody to help me.

In October 2024, while on her way to cultivate land, Zuri was threatened and raped at knife-point.

Two young men with masks on their faces surrounded me. They had machetes, and asked if I was alone. They demanded money, and then they started touching me. They said that if I screamed they would kill me. I let them rape me because I used wisdom and I wanted to protect my life.

Following the attack, Zuri received support and healthcare assistance after being referred to M’toa Health Centre, supported by Concern.

Zuri* (45) was threatened and assaulted at knife-point. Photo: Eugene Ikua

Zuri looking over lake

I received courage and strength to speak about what happened, thanks to the woman who works for Concern who was raising awareness in our village. She told us that if you are victim of rape, you come forward, that Concern has a project to take care of rape victims. She's the one who encouraged me, and she gave me the strength to be able to speak about it, to tell my story.

Conflict has a devastating impact on civilian, with women and girls particularly vulnerable to heightened risks of sexual and gender-based violence, including conflict-related sexual violence.

38-year-old Ana’s* village in Beni territory was attached by an armed group in June 2024. They held the inhabitants captive in a barn. Ana and others managed to escape.

But as we fled, they chased us until they caught us, and they brought us near a lake. There, they raped us. And after raping people, they tied up some people and threw them into the lake.

Ana at home

Ana feared that she too would be drowned, but suddenly, the group retreated. After surviving the attack, Ana decided to leave on foot for the city of Beni.

Due to lack of medical care following her sexual assault, Ana arrived in the town in poor health. Initially, she was worried about seeking help.

When we fled, we didn't carry money with us because there was no time to go and get it. And, when I reached here with no money, I was telling myself, there's no way I could go to a health centre because they will ask for money. And with our cases of rape, it is so difficult to open up to somebody, and it's hard to get treatment.

Encouraged by her neighbour, Ana visited a Concern supported health facility.

When I reached here, fortunately, I met Concern staff, and I received appropriate treatment. [The staff member] introduced me to the Concern programme. She gave me medicine, and she told me that the medicine is free of charge - Concern is the one paying, and Concern has been helping other people in the same situation.

In October 2024, while on her way to cultivate land, Zuri (45) experienced sexual violence. Photo: Eugene Ikua/Concern Worldwide

After receiving initial psychosocial and medical support, Ana was informed of her legal rights and offered a referral to Concern's livelihood initiatives. She was also provided with non-food items.

Now that I feel better, I have been able to receive other assistance from Concern. I received clothes and blankets, because when we fled, we did not leave with any extra clothes. We just fled with the clothes we were wearing that day. I was very happy when I received this assistance. I am very grateful to Concern for that.

In eastern DRC, sexual attacks are a daily occurrence and are used as a weapon of war. The UNHCR documented over 60 cases of rape per day reported to humanitarian agencies in February 2025.

Claire Masika Muisa (48) is raising her family alone after her husband died four years ago. Over the years, they have moved many times because of conflict.

We had a farm in a remote part of Beni, but because of attacks, we were displaced and came here. Having been forced to flee my home to live here, I feel I don’t have any peace because of this life of wandering here and there.

Claire Masika Muisa (48) with her children, Ebenezer (2) and Jonathan (13), who have mobility issues. Photo: Eugene Ikua

Two of Claire’s children, Ebenezer (2) and Jonathan (13) have mobility issues.

“When Ebenezer was two years old, I noticed that when she started walking her legs were touching each other, and sometimes she would fall,” she said. I went to a hospital and they quoted me about £175 for her to be able to receive treatment. After that, I went to a health centre where I was informed about Congo Handicap providing people with the same condition as my child with healthcare.

Her daughter Ebenezer has just had both her legs cast in plaster to improve her ability to walk.

I am overjoyed to know that my child is taken care of. I'm hoping that Ebenezer will walk very well. I felt powerless not being able to access treatment for my child.

Claire and family

Claire’s son Jonathan, who is 13, has been living with a club foot from birth.

We tried to massage it when he was still a baby, hoping that his foot would grow normally, but as he continued growing, it stayed that way.

Congo Handicap referred Jonathan to Beni Hospital for surgery. Jonathan is currently doing well after undergoing surgery and hopes to join his friends in playing football once he has recovered.

Aldegonde Kasoki Simisi (42), a mother of five, including two sets of twins, initially fled her home village because of attacks by armed groups.

The conflict in 2000 had escalated to mass killings, with people burnt alive. I remember there were some people who were told to beat their children to death. It was because of that situation that we were forced to flee.

Aldegonde (42) with two-year-old son Japhet who has been receiving treatment at the Centre for People with Disabilities to rectify his mobility issues.

Aldegonde (42) with two-year-old son Japhet, who has been receiving treatment to rectify his mobility issues. Phpto: Eugene Ikua/Concern Worldwide

In the intervening years, her family have had to flee multiple times, which has disrupted their ability to farm and earn a living.

When Aldegonde gave birth to twin boys two years ago, she noticed that one of them, Japhet, had a problem with his limbs.

It's only when he started walking that I realised that his knees were clashing. I went to the health centre, but they asked me for around £80 for the consultation. I was obliged to go back home because I didn’t have the money. I just gave up and told myself that my child’s problem would never be treated.

Sometime later, Aldegonde heard about support available from Première Urgence International and Congo Handicap, two of the consortium partners in the EAST programme.

When I got in touch with Congo Handicap staff, right then I felt like I had the solution to my problem.

aldegonde

Her two-year-old son Japhet has since been receiving treatment at the Centre for People with Disabilities ‘Heshima Letu’ in Beni to rectify his mobility issues. His leg has been cast in plaster on several occasions. He has received shoes to correct his stance and is now able to walk.

If I try to remember when I was hopeless and compare it to now, after my child has been through the therapy programme, I am very happy today. The emotion I have is one of joy to see that my child is being taken care of.

* Names have been changed to protect people's identities