the church, women’s refuge in the face of violence and trips to Goma

A small cry rises above the plastic tarpaulins of the Buhimba mobile clinic, set up by the Caritas network in Goma, on the eastern border of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). A place located in the Lac-Vert district, where 45 % of women are moved from the inside. Sifa, 21, has just given birth to a boy. “I baptized her” war “because I only knew that,” says the young mother.

At the end of January, taking the capital of the province of North Kivu by the rebels of the March 23 movement (AFC-M23), supported by neighboring Rwanda, marks the last episode of a conflict of thirty years.

Women victims of sexual violence

On February 9, the new masters of the city gave sixty-two hours to the 700,000 displaced from Goma to leave the camps and go home. Since then, several tens of thousands of people are wandering in search of a church, a school or a house under construction in order to spend the night there.

Some women are victims of sexual violence and prefer to head directly to the parish of Emmanuel Shabaa, which has the reputation of serving as a refuge. One of the guides, Mama Jeanne, has been in four women for three weeks with tragic stories.

War orphans

A few kilometers north of Goma, the youth center, founded by the Order of the Salésiens of Don Bosco, welcomes new war orphans every week.

At the back of the dining room, Anna, a one -year -old orphan arrived two weeks ago, does not finish her porridge. “It will take her time before she normally resumes, anticipates Sister Melpomène. She suffered too many deficiencies, victim of the imbalance of this city. »»

Some first names have been changed.