The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) faces one of the world’s most complex humanitarian crises, fueled by years of conflict among armed groups fighting over land, resources, and power. Violence has destroyed homes, schools, and livelihoods, forcing over 6.9 million people to flee, the highest number in Africa. Over half are children and more than 1.5 million now face acute malnutrition.
Today, most conflicts are in the eastern region. In late 2023 and early 2024, the M23 armed group took control of much of North Kivu, including Goma. Fighting intensified in early 2025, displacing at least 1.15 million people in North and South Kivu alone.
The M23 takeover triggered more violence and forced thousands to leave their homes. New authorities ordered all camps for displaced people in Goma to close — no negotiation, no warning. About one million people who had already lost everything were told to leave again, with nowhere to go.