Letter from Bukavu

South Kivu: when conflict, hunger and disease collide

Bienvenu Rwizibuka, from our Companion Diocese of Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, provides some bleak statistics and asks the world a straightforward question

In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the province of South Kivu has become a stark illustration of how protracted conflict quietly erodes human dignity. While global attention often shifts from one crisis to another, millions of civilians here continue to endure a convergence of violence, displacement, hunger and collapsing basic services.

By the end of 2025, South Kivu was hosting more than 1.4 million internally displaced people, many of whom had fled repeated clashes in territories such as Fizi, Kalehe, Uvira, Walungu and Kabare. Most displaced families are not living in formal camps but are absorbed into already impoverished host communities, overcrowded schools or churches, or temporary shelters with little protection from the elements. This invisible displacement places immense pressure on households that were already struggling to survive.

The humanitarian consequences are severe. Food insecurity has reached alarming levels, with nearly two million people facing acute hunger. At the same time, health systems, already fragile, are under extraordinary strain. Armed violence has damaged or looted health facilities, disrupted supply chains and limited humanitarian access. In this context, preventable diseases and malnutrition thrive. In December alone, thousands of children were treated for acute malnutrition, a clear indicator of deepening vulnerability among the youngest.

Health threats extend beyond nutrition. South Kivu is grappling with multiple disease outbreaks, including measles and cholera, which disproportionately affect displaced populations living in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions. For mothers, children and survivors of violence, access to essential care remains uncertain, particularly in remote or insecure areas where humanitarian workers face movement restrictions and direct security threats.

Yet amid this grim reality, local resilience and humanitarian commitment persist. National and international organizations, often working with community-based agencies, continue to deliver lifesaving assistance under extremely difficult conditions. Efforts to strengthen accountability to affected populations, protect civilians, and support survivors of sexual and gender-based violence are increasingly recognized as central—not secondary—to the humanitarian response.

The crisis in South Kivu is not merely a humanitarian emergency; it is a reminder of the human cost of prolonged instability and neglected conflicts over three decades. Addressing immediate needs is essential, but without sustained investment in protection, basic services and pathways linking humanitarian aid to long-term development and peace, displacement and suffering will remain cyclical.

For the international community, South Kivu raises an uncomfortable question: how many silent crises can the world afford to ignore before emergency becomes permanent?