Growing Up in the Congo: Two Personal Narratives
​Jordie
​
​
​
For a long time, the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo has been engulfed in a war that has created widespread panic in the region. The area is under constant attack from M23 rebels, allied with the Congo River Alliance (AFC), led by Mr. Corneille Nangaa, former president of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) of the DRC, and General Sultani Makenga, who commands the rebel army. These groups are backed by the neighboring country of Rwanda. While they are the most well-known, there are also other rebel groups active in the greater northern region.
​
My name is Jordi Machara. I come from the Democratic Republic of Congo, specifically from Goma in North Kivu, a region torn apart by war. I am writing about the situation that North Kivu has endured for more than a decade, a tragedy that the world continues to witness.
​
It is a pain so deep that it cannot be fully expressed with mere words—the suffering experienced daily by the people of Goma in particular, and North Kivu in general. Millions have died—men kidnapped and later killed, women raped and then murdered, adults and children massacred or forcibly recruited into armed groups. War has displaced countless people. Orphans live without shelter, dying from hunger and disease. People are looted of their possessions. Families live without security or hope of seeing another dawn. It is a region where the future of the youth feels impossible to reach.
There were other wars in this region even before I was born, but I lived through my first in 2012 when the city of Goma was captured by M23 rebels. It was a terrifying experience for a child of my age—only three years old. There were millions of deaths, countless displaced people, and families left without shelter, healthcare, or food during the entire crisis. The fear experienced by my family and me was overwhelming. The entire city was gripped by panic, and people were traumatized by the reality of sharing the same space with the rebels.
​
In early 2025, the city has once again fallen into the hands of M23 rebels allied with the AFC. History is repeating itself—more deaths, more displaced families, and even fighting within the city itself. Internet services have been cut, communication with loved ones is nearly impossible, banks and schools remain closed, even as I write this. The region is in the midst of an economic crisis, and the people of Goma are currently living through the darkest chapter of the city’s history. The city of Bukavu, in South Kivu, has also been taken by the M23/AFC rebels, who are now imposing new rules in the occupied territories.
I come from a region where war is not just a story—it is a daily reality. My city is beautiful and full of potential, nestled at the foot of the Nyiragongo volcano. But it is wounded. Despite the cries, the losses, and the injustice, we hold on to hope. And I want to be living proof that peace and success can be born from this pain.
Bonheur​
​
It has been a very long time since the Democratic Republic of Congo has been overcome by a dreadful war. A rebel group known as M23, under the command of Mr. Corneille Nangaa, former president of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) in the Democratic Republic of Congo and ally of the Congo River Alliance (AFC) led by General Sultani Makenga and also supported by Rwanda, a neighboring country to the DRC. kills, massacres, rapes, loots, and terrorizes the Congolese people.
My name is Bonheur. I come from the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, specifically from Goma, in North Kivu, a region that has been plagued by war for more than a decade now. I am writing about the situation in which the people of North Kivu are forced to live daily, in order to expose the atrocities happening in my homeland.
It’s a story that is far too bitter, sad, and deeply painful to tell, but I will try to recount it in just a few words. Goma is a beautiful city, but one that suffers because of war. My experience of war as a child from Goma is filled with melancholy. The first time M23 rebels invaded the city of Goma, I was two years old, in 2012. I wasn’t living in Goma at the time, nor was my family, except for my father. But the impact of that war lives within me as a Congolese person. The war with M23 has always been a living story until I saw it with my own eyes.
Millions have died, women raped and then killed, war-displaced people who died from hunger and lack of help. I saw a baby crying on the back of his mother, who had been killed by a stray bullet. There are pandemics here and there. Young men are forced to join the army .Orphans die from hunger, lack of care, and assistance.
In 2025, the city once again fell into the hands of M23. We are reliving the same nightmare. Many more have died, including two of my cousins and my aunt. Schools have closed, there’s an economic crisis, power and internet cuts. which meant that, on top of being worried about the war, I couldn’t even stay in touch with my sister. I was truly terrified.
I come from that part of the world where we hope this war is just a nightmare and that we’ll eventually wake up,where we live in endless uncertainty, where youth and dreams collapse due to a lack of future and early death. War is a reality in my city, a city that is otherwise beautiful with a volcano, a lake, and many mineral resources. But still destroyed by war. Despite the wounds, the pain, the tears, the suffering, the despair, and the injustices of this war, I believe that with the necessary help, we can restore the will to live and bring hope to the innocent youth of North Kivu who are victims of this war.