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In Bukavu, the ringing of the school bell has always marked more than the start of a new year. It is a signal that life, in all its ordinary rhythms, continues. This year, that sound carries a different weight. More than a year into occupation, “normal” has been redefined for families across our community, and yet, children are still lacing up their shoes, packing their notebooks, and walking through the school gates. At Panzi, education has never simply been about...

With more than 3,4 millions internally displaced people recorded in June 2026 by the Population Mouvement Commission (CMP) in the provinces of South Kivu, North Kivu and Ituri, families who fled the war and are returning home face extreme hardship: unsanitary shelters, food insecurity, the absence of some schools, crumbling health facilities, as well as increased vulnerability for women and children. It is within this context that Panzi Foundation officially launched on Monday, August 31, 2026, a vast operation to...

Despite the immense challenges facing the Democratic Republic of Congo, Panzi Foundation and Dr. Denis Mukwege continue to invest in what matters most – the Congolese people. For over a decade, we have supported community members, staff, and survivors in accessing continued education in the medical field. Christine ZAWADI, formerly a beneficiary of Maison Dorcas, was able to complete school thanks to full educational support from Panzi Foundation. A survivor of sexual violence, she shares that after receiving care at...

The 17th Ebola epidemic, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, was first detected in eastern DRC in late May – starting in Iutri before spreading to North Kivu and South Kivu. This week, a new case has recently been detected in Kisangani, a sign that the disease continues to progress. According to the National Institute of Public Health (INSP), 1,406 cases have been recorded in total with 438 deaths, a fatality rate of 31.2%. In this challenging context, land borders with...

Panzi Foundation and Hospital Staff Reflect on the World Cup that Reached Across the Frontlines The DRC Leopards’ run at the 2026 World Cup was about far more than football history. It gave the world something rare: a glimpse of a people who, in spite of everything, refuse to be broken, standing together, flag in hand. For weeks, millions of Congolese were swept up in it. On the streets of Kinshasa and in the alleyways of Goma, Bukavu, Bunagana, and...

The annual international 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence campaign takes place November 25 to December 10. This year, Panzi will carry out a series of activities around the theme Unite Together: Investing to prevent violence against women and girls. Below you will find ways in which we will participate in this year’s campaign.  We are committed year-round to the fight against sexual and gender-based violence, and invite you to support our work. Badilika in schools Panzi Foundation’s Badilika...

In October 2023, the Panzi Foundation delivered 411 birth certificates to children benefiting from its programs in the Kalehe region of northern South Kivu. Most of these children were born as a result of rape, and some have been abandoned. Although the right to a nationality is recognized by article 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the precarious conditions in which some children are born prevent them from benefiting from civil registration within the timeframe covered by the...

In October 2023, Panzi Foundation distributed school supplies to help refugee children gain access to education. This operation is a continuation of the assistance provided in recent months to displaced families in the North Kivu and the Uvira regions. A total of 1,333 children received kits, which included a schoolbag, a school uniform, a pair of shoes, notebooks, pens, pencils, and mathematical instruments. These children attend schools close to their camps, but most do not have the means to buy...

Written By: UKANE ASSUMANI Didier, Panzi Youth Ambassador  “If you show love to a woman who’s been rejected, she’ll take a completely different view of life. It’s a very simple thing to do, but it will give her the desire to fight…”. Dr. Denis Mukwege. The Democratic Republic of Congo is in the grip of a complex humanitarian crisis that has lasted for decades. In the east of the country, endemic sexual violence has been amplified by recurrent armed conflicts,...