Fatshimetrie reports today an alarming reality unfolding in Bunia, Ituri, where more than 1,600 students, mainly children from the ISP displaced persons site, study in extremely precarious conditions. These children, deprived of school supplies, notebooks, pens, and even uniforms, attend the only school located on the outskirts of the city. Every day, these young students courageously walk five kilometers to reach the school, after having completed household chores to support their families.
The Sagesse Kabazo school complex thus welcomes these students, offering them a chance of education despite the challenges they face. However, the living conditions of these children reveal a critical situation. Some of them must go to school on an empty stomach, due to a lack of sufficient food at home. In addition, the particularly remote nature of the school exposes these children to dangers such as road accidents, drowning, and even kidnapping. The head of the school, Jean de Dieu Bahati, is sounding the alarm, pleading for urgent intervention by the authorities and people of good will to improve the living and learning conditions of these vulnerable children.
The students’ poignant testimonies highlight the urgency of the situation. One of them denounces the lack of uniforms, shoes and food, pointing out the precariousness of their daily lives. Some classmates are forced to beg in the city, thus exposing their integrity to major risks. These children, bearers of so many hopes and dreams, deserve better care to allow them to flourish in a safe environment conducive to learning.
Faced with this call for help, it is crucial to raise awareness among the public and local authorities in order to find concrete solutions for these deprived children. Education is an essential pillar of the development of any individual, and no child should be deprived of this fundamental right. It is time to act collectively to offer a brighter future to these young students, symbols of courage and resilience in adversity.