Reference :
V-P-BI-E-00177
Date :
03/03/2026
Caption :
Eastern Burundi, Buhumuza province, Busuma, a refugee camp hosting people from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Justine Yalara Nyegamo with her granddaughter.
Confidentiality level :
public
Publication restrictions :
publication without restrictions
Description :
"My son-in-law was killed on December 9, 2025, on the Kavimvira bridge. My daughter was with him that day; in a panic, she ran away. Shortly after, my 15-year-old granddaughter arrived at my house with the baby, Rehema Bonidé, just as I was preparing to flee. Since then, they have stayed with me. Two days later, we heard gunfire, and bombs began to fall on the hills. We had no choice but to leave for Gatumba, where there was a transit center at the border. Later, we were transferred to the Busuma camp. Life in the camp is very difficult. We don’t have enough to eat, our shelter is tiny, and diseases are widespread. When it rains, water leaks into our shelter. At first, we received a little food, but that has since stopped. If I had the financial means, I would prefer for the children to return to the DRC, and I would also like to go back. But I don’t have enough money to make the journey."
Since early 2025, clashes have intensified in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, displacing hundreds of thousands of people across the region. Tens of thousands have fled to Burundi, where more than 80,000 Congolese refugees are seeking safety in overcrowded camps such as Busuma, Musenyi and Cishemere. This sudden influx has placed significant pressure on Burundi’s limited resources. The ICRC is working in collaboration with the Burundi Red Cross to provide essential humanitarian services, such as water trucking and disinfection operations. Together, they are also striving to reunite families separated by the conflict by helping them restore contact with their loved ones.
Original material :
digital
Resolution :
5966x7955
Orientation :
portrait
Colour/B&W :
colour
