By Shannon Sinclair:
Visiting Congo has been a lifelong dream for me. I was around 10 or 12 when I first learned about the country’s struggles—wars, atrocities, and the stories of survivors. Those early encounters with injustice sparked my desire to become a human rights lawyer. Though my career path took a different turn, volunteering with Comfort International has allowed me to honour that promise I made to my younger self: to do something that matters.
Crossing into Goma felt surreal. With the conflict earlier this year, I was cautious, unsure of what awaited us. But what I found was breathtaking beauty. Goma is one of the most stunning places I’ve ever seen. It is clear however, that the infrastructure remains underdeveloped, the roads, the buildings, the schools and hospitals.
In just five days, we visited schools, hospitals, orphanages, street children rescue centres, Comfort Mums & Babies, and more. Each place told a story—of pain, resilience, and hope.
There were tough moments, yes. But every challenge was met with a highlight: the unwavering strength of the Congolese people. Unpaid teachers who don’t know how they will feed their own children or don’t have a home continue to show up to school every day and teach. Doctors & nurses in the Rusayu hospital who work around the clock continue to show up for their patients. Women who have been raped, their husbands killed and yet continue to push for a better life for their children. Children who have lost parents, suffer from malnourishment and witnessed unimaginable violence yet continue to smile. Their strength is like nothing I have ever witnessed.
And then there’s the Comfort Congo team—heroes in their own right—risking their lives to rescue and support those in need. Humanity shines brightest in the darkest places, and I saw it everywhere.
On our final night, we met with the Comfort Congo team to discuss the challenges ahead. One urgent need stood out: support for the Children of Liberty project, which rescues child soldiers. Over 200 rescued children currently lack sponsorship, yet the team continues their life-saving work.
Why does this matter? Because these children, abducted and forced into violence, are at risk of becoming perpetrators themselves if left unsupported. Comfort Congo provides safety, rehabilitation, and hope—breaking the cycle of trauma and violence. A little support here doesn’t just change lives—it can change the future of an entire country.
One of the biggest things I learned was that Congo’s minerals power the global economy—but the people who live above and alongside these riches do not see that benefit. They suffer through continued wars, mass displacement, malnourishment and atrocities. Violence against women, especially the use of rape as a weapon of war, remains heartbreakingly prevalent. The suffering is visible, unjust, and deeply painful. On this trip, I learned about Pearl International who are a charity aimed at raising funds to support the people of DRC. The concept is that every time you get a new phone you can give back to Congo by donating £1, £3, or £5. It’s so little, but really will go such a long way in supporting the building of more schools & children being put through education, the rescuing of more child soldiers, more support for the people of DRC.
A final reflection from me was that from learning about the Congo at a young age, the violence against women and the use of rape as a weapon of war is still so prevalent. But ending this trip, I do leave inspired. Inspired by the people. Inspired to act. Inspired to play my part, however small, in building a better future for Congo. The Comfort Congo team do an amazing job in the toughest of circumstances and I trust that working alongside the team we will continue to have a massive impact.