A Very Personal Perspective on the DR Congo Crisis

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By Aimee Manimani, WV DRC Communications Officer

I am sad to leave a sad and frightened city. I am sad to leave behind thousands of people that World Vision supports.

My name is Aimee Manimani. I am a World Vision aid worker. I am currently in Rwanda, having been evacuated by World Vision this morning as the situation in Goma deteriorated.

My family is in Goma. My friends have taken refuge in United Nations compounds for safety. Their condition is not good – they need food and water. Thousands of people have arrived at these concentration compounds as M23 rebels overrun the city.

I am tired of the sounds of bombs. I can’t stand them any more.

I know what it means to be displaced person. I have lived this life since 1996. I was displaced then and we fled into a village near Walungu (South Kivu), called Muzirhu, we lived and faced all same sad conditions like lack of water, of latrines and food. So, yesterday, when I heard the sounds of the bombs and mortar, I just got depressed.

I started crying. I couldn’t control myself. I had to leave home again.

I started Sunday like any normal day. We went to the 9.00AM church service and only half of the congregation turned up. By 11:00AM, the United Nations summoned its entire staff to safe compounds. I went home, packed a little stuff, and went with all my bags up to the Rwanda border. I could not even find a taxi to take me there.

Like most of my Congolese, I feel humiliated by everything that we are forced to go through. I feel disgusted to leave everything behind and flee … We had a normal life; we could face poverty and many other difficulties, we could manage all with the hope that everything will be fine one day. But now we must flee.

Parents and children have to hide under the bed, in the bushes or wherever they would feel safe. Now thousands of parents can’t even protect their children… this makes me very sad. It’s not fair!

I am sad to leave behind family and friends.

I am sad to leave a sad and frightened city.

I am sad to leave behind about 800,000 thousands of people that World Vision supports in Eastern Congo. But I have not given up. We will return soon and continue the good work.

If you’d like to help children affected by the DR Congo Crisis, you can donate here.

  • DR Congo crisis
  • DRC

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