“I was in Kinyamahura hospital in Bugusa village, Rushuro Territory in the DRC when the attacks escalated, leaving me with no choice other than fleeing for my life with my newly born babies, husband and sister in law.”
Uwamahoro Franscine is an 18 year old mother of newly born pre-term twins who was brought to Nyakabande holding center on the 10th April 2022 fleeing from the most recent rebel activity in the DRC. Being a victim of forced marriage, Uwamahoro had just dealt with the trauma of getting married unwillingly. Hardly had she got a grip of herself when she started to flee for her life and this time with two little ones she wanted to protect so much.
“I spent 4 days in transit with my babies who had no clothes to keep them warm because I had lost all my property.” She narrated.
During one of the shelter visits at Nyakabande holding center, CAFOMI followed up on Uwamahoro. The protection staff who interacted with her, assessed her situation and took her along so that she could find the assistance that she needed.
According to Judith Irene Kahunde, the protection officer at CAFOMI, situations of conflict affect the fabric of society and social services which CAFOMI endeavors to restore by offering support to persons affected by conflict and displacement.
With support from CARE International and UNHCR, CAFOMI intervened by providing the mother with warm baby clothes, blankets and mats hence meeting her immediate needs of care.
CAFOMI also referred Uwamahoro and her babies to Medical Teams International for medical assessment and later to Save the children international for particular toddler assistance.
Children still present the biggest number of asylum seekers in every influx. Often times many arrive unaccompanied or separated from their families. CAFOMI and other child protection actors like Save the Children and ALIGHT assess and attend to their immediate needs which include restoration of a sense of normalcy and family set up through family tracing and reunification conducted by Red Cross and temporary foster care arrangements done by CAFOMI.