Rachel (14) lives in Pinga village (DR Congo) together with her two younger brothers, Héritier (11) and Johnny (5). One night in 2011, Pinga was attacked, and all the residents in the village were forced to flee. Rachel fled with her two brothers and lost sight of their parents. She tried to find them, but there was no one to help her. Rachel and her brothers have not seen their parents since that night in 2011. Due to ongoing conflict in the area, they have been forced to flee several times.
"I am still waiting for our parents to return. I do not know what happened to them. I hope one day they will come back home and take care of Héritier" Rachel explains.
Héritier is disabled and needs assistance. Staying home to take care of her brothers made Rachel a parent at a very young age.
"I couldn’t go to school before, because our uncle couldn’t pay my fees. Also, he has his own children that he must send to school, and I couldn’t leave Héritier alone with Johnny" she says.
Life changing meeting
Last year Rachel’s life changed. With the help of the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Rachel was able to begin studying for the first time. The support was given under EU’s Children of Peace initiative
At a round table meeting hosted by NRC Rachel’s story was told for all participants to hear.
"After hearing the story of Rachel, I am both sad and happy. Sad that Rachel, a child of 14 years has become the mother of her brothers. Happy simply because Rachel can now go to school" said Gilbert Kalinda, member of the North Kivu Parliament.
He attended the meeting together with other representatives of the North Kivu Parliament, representatives of the government, community leaders, and civil society actors.
"I would ask NRC and its donors, The European Commission, to continue helping us, to help all children like Rachel, to be able to stay children. If there isn’t continued support like this, the future of our country will only reflect the many abuses that are targeting our children today" says Prince Kihangi, a community leader of Walikale territory.
Risking a lost generation
Approximately 1.6 million people are displaced in DR Congo due to ongoing conflict. 7.6 million children are left out of school (28% of all school aged children in DR Congo). If these children do not attend school, it may become more difficult for them to take an active part in their society when they grow up. DR Congo is risking a lost generation.
"NRC is calling the government, members of parliament and humanitarians to multiple efforts so that the hope of all children being able to access education can become a reality!" Says Mickael Amar, Country Director for NRC in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
About the project
9,127 children and youth are affected by the armed conflict in Pinga and Masisi. North Kivu has been supported by the Norwegian refugee Council. The project is funded by a grant from the European Union’s Nobel Peace Prize: Children of Peace Initiative. NRC supports the children by giving them access to quality education and an opportunity to learn in safe, protective and nurturing spaces.
