Fatshimetrie, September 16, 2024 – War-displaced women from Kwamouth, in the southwest of the Democratic Republic of Congo, are launching a poignant appeal for support to educate their children in Kinshasa, the country’s capital. The story of Marie Zawali, one of these courageous women, highlights the daily challenges they face.
These women were forced to flee the insecurity caused by the “Mobondo” insurgents, leaving behind all their possessions and stability. Faced with the urgency of their situation, they express with emotion the pressing need for financial and material assistance to offer an educational future to their children. The latter, deprived of schooling, wander the streets and are exposed to all the miseries of society.
Marie Zawali bitterly recounts how she and her husband, previously successful suppliers of agricultural products, lost more than 30 hectares of maize to the Mobondos. Despite her efforts to support her family by working as a market gardener, the income generated remains insufficient to ensure a decent education for their children.
This heartbreaking situation highlights the devastating consequences of the communal violence that erupted in 2022 in the Mai-Ndombe province. The clashes between the Téke and Yaka communities have led to a deadly land conflict, fueling a cycle of revenge and heartbreaking human losses.
The displaced women of Kwamouth are calling on the Congolese authorities and the international community to intervene urgently. Their message is clear: the education of their children is the key to a peaceful and prosperous future for the Democratic Republic of Congo. By supporting these courageous women, we are investing in the reconstruction of a society scarred by violence and injustice.
Together, let us make education a shield against oblivion, hatred and poverty. The women of Kwamouth remind us that education is a fundamental right, a pillar of human dignity and a vehicle for peace and prosperity for future generations. It is our duty to answer their call and contribute to the realization of this common ideal.