"We carried the children in our arms, and let the water take everything else."
Alice Maliro
When conflict and crisis unfolded in Congo earlier this year, families were forced to flee.
They walked for days.
They'd seen their homes and farms burn. Loved ones lost.
Family members drown crossing dangerous rivers.
More than 5,000 of these refugees were children.
When they crossed the border to safety in Burundi, the LWF team you support through ALWS was there to meet them.
“The challenge lies in the overwhelming needs compared to the resources available.
Our dedicated staff face the heart-wrenching task of prioritising those who are most at risk—choosing among the most vulnerable.
But every effort counts, and as we work to secure more support, we begin where the need is greatest.”
Denis Tchounkeu LWF Regional Emergency Hub Coordinator for Africa
“With assistance, we did a lot, including putting up temporary sites for refugee relocation.
We also distributed food and other essential relief goods.
Until these houses are finished, people must live together in tents."
“I was born into war and grew up in a refugee camp. As an adult, I returned to my home village. For a time, I thought peace had come. But then armed fighters brought new violence to my community.
One Sunday, they summoned the men of a nearby village, claiming they were needed for work. When the men arrived, about a hundred were killed. The same happened in other communities. These “invitations” were executions. We had to flee!”
Pascal Teacher and farmer
“The Burundian people welcomed us warmly. We felt safe and treated with kindness.
Still, daily life remains difficult. Food is scarce, and healthcare is limited.
Staying here and integrating into Burundian society is our best hope. I joined other refugees to form a community group.
Together, we started farming, raising animals, sewing, and woodworking—activities that bring dignity and help us meet basic needs.
We haven’t lost all hope.
We’re doing our best with the little we have, and for now, counting on local and international support to build a better future.”
As part of a combined response with other NGO’s
128 people in Musenyi received ‘Habitat Kits’
These kits included:
• a blanket to keep warm
• mats to sleep on
• mosquito nets for safety
• cooking utensils
• soap and clean water containers
“I thank you for this kit, because I had nothing.
I slept on the cement floor with my kids, without even a blanket, while it’s so cold here.”
Triphonie Mother of two
Working alongside other NGOs, new arrivals were also supported with a Household Grocery Kit:
• 50 kg of rice
• 30 kg of beans
• 20 kg of corn flour
• 4.5 litres of cotton oil
• 1 kg of salt
"I had to use mattress pieces during my period."
"After I wash, I had to wipe myself with the clothes I had just removed."
In June, 920 refugee girls aged 10 to 13, received assistance by the team you support at Musenyi.
The WASH Kit contained:
1 towel
2 re-usable dignity kits
3 pants
4 shower soaps
4 laundry soaps
1 sheet
1 bucket
For many girls, menstrual hygiene has always been a challenge. With limited access to sanitary products, and cultural barriers preventing open discussions, they often resorted to missing school, suffering in discomfort, or even dropping out entirely.
Buying sanitary pads from local shops was an uncomfortable experience, or just not affordable —many felt too shy to ask for them, let alone discuss their needs with teachers or peers.
The host communities' women also received dignity kits.
"I will share this dignity kit with my 13-year-old daughter as she doesn't have any panties or sanitary towels.”
445 more Dignity kits were distributed to the communities.
Each kit contained: a bucket, a cloth, three briefs, a hand towel, five reusable sanitary towels, four shower soaps and four laundry soaps.
This kit was created in direct response to what the women and girls told us they need most. In a rapid field assessment, they shared their everyday struggles —and their desire to live with dignity, in these difficult circumstances.
The crisis in Congo has now displaced more than 70,000 people since January 2025. Intensified violence perpetrated by armed groups forces families to seek refuge in Burundi.
A new Welcome Site at Gasenyi has been opened, but is overwhelmed with 12,271 people in 3,337 families.
The LWF team you support looks to partners like ALWS to support them in providing care to those in such desperate need. We thank you for your support.
Photos and stories:
You have turned my sorrow into joyful dancing.
No longer am I sad and wearing sackcloth.
Psalm 30:11
