A former sanctuary from violence in DR Congo is being pushed to the breaking point

Many families forced to leave everything behind

When fighting erupted in Rushashi, Kinoko* fled with her husband and six children, traveling for weeks through the forest. Armed groups had seized their harvest, forcing them to leave everything behind and lose contact with relatives—whose fate is uncertain.

Arriving in Bambo in late June, the family joined tens of thousands of newly displaced people—most of them women and children. Kinoko and her family are currently sheltering in a school, one of 24 collective sites across Bambo, which also include churches and empty buildings. Between May and July, the number of displaced people in the town nearly doubled, surpassing 51,000 and now making up more than 80 percent of Bambo’s population.

“It is difficult to sleep because it is so crowded here,” Kinoko said. “To survive, we go to the fields and ask local residents for manioc leaves and rotten bananas, but even then, we struggle. The kids are so hungry.” 

Conflict fueling mass displacement 

Ongoing instability continues to drive mass displacement across Rutshuru territory. Since MSF’s last call for urgent action in June, Bambo—one of the region’s largest towns—has fallen to the M23 armed group, which remains locked in conflict with Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda [FDLR] and Collective of Movements for Change [CMC] militias.

“I left my home after gunfire broke out between the M23 and CMC,” explained Nsaku*, a man who fled Birambizo with four family members. “Several houses were set on fire on the pretext that they belonged to the CMC. Given the growing insecurity, I decided it was best to leave after spending a few days hiding in the bush. I had to leave my livestock behind.”

Theft of harvests means loss of livelihood for displaced people

Bambo has become a fragile sanctuary for people escaping violence, as conflict continues to devastate the surrounding areas and makes it unlikely that displaced families will be able to return home soon. Armed groups frequently steal harvests, leaving people with few means of survival—even if they were to go back. Many new arrivals are deeply traumatized, and numerous testimonies describe violence allegedly committed by armed groups.

A recent arrival to Bambo explained that he fled to the town after hearing bombs explode near the fields where he was living and working. "We were warned that anyone who stayed behind would be killed,” he said.

“One soldier picked up a chicken and cut off its head in front of me, suggesting that I would be next,” said another, who managed to escape. “Two members of my family were killed.”

Water and food needs are growing exponentially

The humanitarian needs of the town’s ever-growing population are immense. Many are living in overcrowded conditions with limited access to clean water and sanitation or basic household items such as cooking equipment; some are unable to find shelter at all; and hunger is rising—the price of beans at the local market has doubled and those displaced people lucky enough to find work typically eke out a living of less than $1 per day working in fields. 

Malnutrition wards have had occupancy rates over 100 percent for close to a month; dozens of sexual violence victims are seen every week; and significant numbers of patients continue to seek treatment for diarrheal diseases and respiratory infections. 

Malaria cases have surged since July, with a single clinic where MSF operates reporting an average of 341 cases each week over the past month – a figure that continues to grow. This sharp increase is partly due to cuts in international humanitarian funding, including from USAID, which forced the national malaria program to halt its activities in the area. These funding cuts have also left local health authorities with fewer resources to treat malnutrition, provide post-exposure prophylaxis [PEP] kits, and support tuberculosis and HIV services.

“Urgent interventions are required not only in the medical sector, but also in critical related areas such as water, sanitation, and hygiene, food distribution, and shelter provision,” said François Calas, MSF’s head of mission in DRC. “Without comprehensive action in these fields, the risk of disease outbreaks will continue to rise. MSF teams will continue to provide lifesaving medical care in Bambo, but we cannot meet alone the growing humanitarian needs of this community. It is vital that other partners step up to avoid disaster.” 

*Names have been changed