Overview

The escalating conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reached a critical humanitarian threshold, with children bearing the brunt of renewed violence, displacement, and systemic collapse. Since 2024, intensified fighting involving the March 23 Movement (M23), with reported external support, has severely destabilized North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, including the major urban centers of Goma, Bukavu, and Uvira (Reuters, 2026; ACLED, 2026).

 As families flee active combat zones, millions of children are being uprooted from their homes, exposed to traumatic violence, and cut off from education, healthcare, and basic protection services. In response, RISE has launched the Flame of Hope Campaign to provide integrated educational support, psychosocial care, and essential assistance to conflict-affected children. Through this initiative, RISE seeks to restore dignity, stability, and hope while empowering a generation at risk of being permanently left behind.

 The Challenge

Children in eastern DRC face a convergence of severe and escalating challenges driven by armed conflict and mass displacement.

Renewed military offensives since 2024 have led to the capture and contestation of key population centers in North and South Kivu, triggering large-scale civilian displacement and the breakdown of public services (Reuters, 2026; ACLED, 2026). According to humanitarian agencies, eastern DRC remains one of the world’s largest displacement crises, with millions of internally displaced persons, a significant proportion of whom are children (UNHCR, 2025).

The impact on children has been particularly devastating. Prolonged insecurity and forced displacement have disrupted access to education for hundreds of thousands of school-aged children, as schools have been destroyed, closed, or repurposed as shelters for displaced families (UNICEF, 2025; UNHCR, 2025). Without access to safe learning environments, children face increased risks of exploitation, early labor, and long-term educational loss.

Protection risks have also intensified. Reports document heightened exposure of children to psychological trauma, family separation, forced recruitment by armed groups, and gender-based violence, especially in newly displaced communities and urban peripheries (UNICEF, 2025; The New Humanitarian, 2026). Without timely intervention, these compounded risks threaten to create a “lost generation” marked by untreated trauma, interrupted development, and entrenched poverty.

Our Solution

RISE is committed to addressing the urgent and long-term needs of displaced and conflict-affected children through a holistic, child-centered, and community-based approach:

• Educational Support

RISE will establish and equip temporary and community-based learning spaces for displaced children, provide essential school supplies, and support teacher training to ensure continuity and quality of education in emergency settings. Restoring access to learning is a critical step toward protecting children and safeguarding their future opportunities (UNICEF, 2025).

• Psychosocial Healing

Recognizing the profound psychological impact of conflict, RISE will implement trauma-informed psychosocial support services, including counseling, peer-support activities, and child-friendly spaces. Structured recreational activities – such as music, dance, football, and creative play – will be integrated to promote emotional healing, social cohesion, and resilience among children affected by violence and displacement (UNICEF, 2025).

• Basic Needs Assistance

To stabilize children’s immediate living conditions, RISE will distribute essential relief items, including food assistance, hygiene kits, and clothing. Meeting basic needs is essential for reducing vulnerability, supporting physical health, and enabling children to re-engage in education and psychosocial programs (UNHCR, 2025).

Conclusion

The renewed escalation of violence in eastern DRC – particularly in Goma, Bukavu, and Uvira – has dramatically increased the humanitarian needs of children already living on the margins. The Flame of Hope Campaign responds directly to this crisis by combining education, psychosocial care, and basic assistance into a coordinated, child-focused intervention. Through strategic partnerships, community engagement, and evidence-based programming, RISE aims not only to address immediate suffering but also to lay the foundation for long-term recovery, resilience, and opportunity for children affected by displacement and conflict.