Below is the most recent report from Comfort Congo on the situation in North Kivu, the Democratic Republic of Congo, where communities are now adapting to life under the M23 rebel armies. With the initial conflict and chaos which came with the takeover partially subsiding, the emergency funds which were raised in response to the crisis at the beginning of the year are being mobilised to restock and rebuild the various Comfort Congo projects. Bedadi from Comfort Congo has been sharing with us how these funds have been vital in providing emergency feeding, keeping schools running, and restocking the hospital with medication, mattresses and more.
A quick reminder that at the end of 2024 and through the first few months of 2025, Goma and the surrounding areas where our partners work, bringing healthcare, education, support for street kids, child soldiers, rape survivors and much more, was plunged into a further wave of chaos and violence as M23 rebel armies overtook the area. In the ensuing conflict and confusion, the hospital was looted and damaged, schools were shut down, communities were scattered, banks closed and people lived in fear and deep danger. Although the situation is still far from stable, this report from Bedadi at Comfort Congo encourages us that the projects have been able to restart and are providing comfort and support for the many vulnerable individuals and families who are in desperate need.
Bedadi (Comfort Congo’s Project Manager, right) says, “Comfort Congo would like to express its profound gratitude to all donors from Comfort International to the Comfort Congo emergency appeal for helping Centre Hospitalier Rusayo (CHR) which was destroyed and its equipment looted in January 2025 when the M23 took Goma city. You have also helped teachers who fled to the country-side from the war and those also in Goma, because banks have been closed till now and they have been unable to access their salary, many hungry pastors from rural areas who have lost their homes and their fields, child soldiers, single mothers, rape survivors, street children from the Comfort Congo project, and helping to rehabilitate some schools that have been destroyed, buying some school books for teachers and finally, buying a plot of land where UNICEF have pledged to build a new school for Mitume II in Rutshuru.”
How the latest funds have been spent
Central Hospital Rusayu (CHR)
Some more equipment has been bought, including new mattresses for all the beds (to replace those that had been looted), medical gowns and scrubs, new bed sheets, new doors (to replace the old ones which had been destroyed), new stocks of medicine and drugs which are provided to patients free of charge, and other new equipment to replace that which was robbed.
Bedadi says, “Now the hospital is functioning day and night to help vulnerable people from the Rusayu area and others who have come in to the city who have no means to pay hospital fees. At the hospital they can receive treatment free of charge along with other people from the area. Pregnant women are giving birth with their new-borns in good condition as was the case before the war and raped woman are being well treated.”
Emergency Food Parcels
It was with gratitude that the child soldiers, street children, single mothers, survivors of sexual violence, pastors and teachers received emergency food parcels for the third time and it was a wonderful moment to share.
Education
In Kyezye extension, Sadoki primary school, and La Misericordia schools, money has been sent for repairs to the buildings and for new school books for children and teachers.
Emergency land has been bought where UNICEF have pledged to build a new school for Mitume II Primary School. This school was completely destroyed and burnt down during the conflict hence the desperate need for a new school for the children.
Conclusion
The positive impact of the emergency funds have helped vulnerable people who had no means to pay for care to be treated for free at Centre Hospitalier Rusayo and have helped mothers to give birth in security and in good conditions. This emergency appeal has also helped more than 4953 people receive food during this time of war, a time where things have become very costly and they had nothing to support their family and the Comfort Congo Projects have provided food to help them in this hard time.
Bedadi ends by saying, “The hospital is always in need of equipment and medicine, especially given the looting of medical tools and there is a need to restore electricity since the solar panels and battery were stolen. There is the problem of many new Children of Liberty (Child Soldiers) and street children being conscripted because of the war – many of them have been taken by force and others are living in total fear because they have nowhere to go or to live so we need your prayers.
God bless everyone who has given something. Comfort Congo will continue rebuilding lives.”
Thank you for taking the time to read through this report and continuing to stand with us and our partners at Comfort Congo at this challenging time. We are grateful for the gradual improvements to the situation, and look forward to visiting the Comfort Congo team while on trips in the very near future. We will aim to keep you up to date with all the very latest information in this ever-changing situation.