Survivor Stories

THE WAR STOLE HER INNOCENCE, BUT HER CHILD GAVE HER HOPE

Her childhood was taken in an instant. Through consistent care and protection at Panzi Hospital, Aline is beginning a long journey toward healing.

At just sixteen years old, Aline* was living a quiet life in Kabare. She went to school, helped her mother after class, and dreamed of finishing her education. One afternoon in February 2025, that life was violently taken from her.

In 2025, we’ve seen an uphill of cases of sexual violence against minors are rising at Panzi. This is a double burden that is unbearable for children already affected by war, with 1.6 million children out of school already in Kivu.

On her way to the fields to deliver vegetables for her mother, Aline encountered armed men. She was restrained, tied to a tree, and held for hours. Whey they returned, she was assaulted repeatedly.

The war in DRC has been ongoing for almost 30 years.

I didn’t understand what was happening to me. I was terrified. I thought I was going to die.

Aline lost consciousness. When she woke up the next day, she was in a health center, surrounded by her mother and relatives. From there, she was transferred to Panzi Hospital for specialized care.

When Aline arrived at Panzi, she received immediate medical treatment, psychological support, food, and hygiene supplies, basic necessities that restored a sense of dignity she believed she had lost forever.

“Here, they treat me like their own child. I didn’t think I would survive.”

Aline later learned she was pregnant as a result of the assault. Returning home was no longer possible, armed men remained in her village, and fear follows her family daily.

Despite everything, Aline holds onto hope.