WHERE VICTIMS

TRANSFORM


INTO SURVIVORS

On October 21, a Panzi Foundation team led by our Director of Operations, Vital Barholere, traveled to Cimpunda to provide humanitarian assistance to 110 families. Each family received food supplies (rice, maize flour, beans, sugar, vegetable oil, salt, and more), and women heads of household also received pagnes (traditional wax-print fabric). These kits aim to meet the families’ essential needs and support them through this particularly difficult time.

On September 10, a devastating fire swept through the Cimpunda neighborhood of Bukavu. Within a few hours, 27 schoolchildren lost their lives, many homes were reduced to ashes, and more than 500 families were left extremely vulnerable. For these families, grief is compounded by the loss of their homes, their belongings, and in some cases their livelihoods. In the days following the tragedy, Dr. Denis Mukwege, Panzi’s founder and 2018 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, called for national and international solidarity with the affected families.

“Humanitarian aid should have no ideological boundaries, and human dignity must remain our priority.” – Denis Mukwege

Speaking during the distribution, Mr Barholere explained why this intervention was critical: “Dr. Mukwege sent us here to bring relief to the people of Cimpunda, who have been through the horror of this fire and lost so many lives, especially children. We are here to stand with the families who have lost their homes and their loved ones.”

Panzi Foundation also plans to support the Berna Polyclinic, in recognition of its commitment to caring for the first victims of the fire.

Behind the Numbers, Lives Upended

For many of the families present, the distribution was a rare moment of relief after weeks of uncertainty. Cécile Mariam, a resident of Kasheke, watched the flames destroy every house on her plot, leaving her with nothing. For her, receiving food and essentials meant being able, at least for a while, to stop worrying about how to feed her family.

Innocent Rukiko, an English teacher at the Ujamaa school complex, lost both his home and his job in the fire. For him, the support went beyond the material: “It is a gesture that eases the wounds we carry,” he said. But he was also quick to point out how much remains to be done, calling on “other people of goodwill” to come to the aid of Cimpunda’s families.

For the families of Cimpunda, the road ahead is still long. Many have lost their homes, their belongings, and above all their children, and no food kit can ease that grief. But in the words of those who received support, there was relief at not being forgotten, and hope that others will follow. As Innocent Rukiko reminded us, Cimpunda still needs the help of everyone of goodwill.

This humanitarian assistance was made possible through the financial support of the Italian Episcopal Conference.

Thirty years after the massacre at Lemera Hospital in the DRC, the organization founded by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege calls on the world to act

WASHINGTON, October 6, 2026 – Today, Panzi launched #EndTheEndlessWar, a global education and advocacy campaign to mobilize people around the world to call for an end to three decades of conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). One of the deadliest conflicts since World War II, the war has killed an estimated six million people, displaced millions more, and subjected women and children to widespread violence, including sexual violence.

The launch marks 30 years to the day since the attack on Lemera Hospital in South Kivu province in eastern DRC, where Dr. Denis Mukwege then served as an OBGYN and the Medical Director. On October 6, 1996, armed men entered the hospital and killed all those who could not flee in time: nearly 40 people, including patients and health providers. For Dr. Mukwege and the surrounding community, this crime against humanity marked the beginning of what was to become 30 years of war. Today, Panzi Foundation honors the lives lost in this devastating massacre and calls for a just conclusion to the conflict – an end to the endless war.

Since the late 1990s, violence in eastern DRC has been prolonged and aggravated by foreign interference, the proliferation of armed groups, and fierce competition over the DRC’s vast mineral wealth. Last year, the M23 armed group aggressively expanded the territory it controls in eastern DRC, backed by troops and support from neighboring Rwanda. In the first months of 2025, M23 captured the cities of Goma and Bukavu, shuttering the regions airports, driving out the provincial governments, and displacing millions of people.

20 months later, an estimated 9 million people live under M23’s control, cut off from the rest of the DRC. Peace efforts at the global level have yet to address the root causes of the conflict, improve security conditions, or restore the DRC’s territorial integrity.

Panzi’s campaign calls for meaningful action from global actors to resolve the conflict. Over the next two months, Panzi will release a series of videos highlighting three urgent themes: (1) the epidemic of sexual violence against women and girls; (2) the illicit mineral trade that helps finance armed groups; (3) and the action required to build a just and lasting peace.

Everyone can be part of it: watch, share, and take action by writing to elected representatives in the US, Belgium, France and the European Parliament to demand the withdrawal of foreign forces, tougher sanctions, protected humanitarian aid and accountable minerals deals, and by signing a petition urging President Tshisekedi to establish an international justice process for the serious crimes committed in the DRC.

“There is an urgent need to act and to put an end to the suffering of the Congolese population, which has already gone on for far too long, ” said Dr Denis Mukwege.

In Belgium, the City of Brussels has launched an accompanying campaign focused on the need for justice after three decades of war, as well as the urgency of humanitarian support for affected Congolese communities, including a panel discussion with Dr. Denis Mukwege at Brussels City Hall on 2 October. In France, on 6 October, the anniversary of the Lemera massacre, the Fondation René Cassin and the Panzi Foundation are hosting the conference “30 Years of War, 30 Years of Impunity,” where Dr. Mukwege joins speakers from Human Rights Watch and the International Criminal Court. The conference will be streamed live on YouTube from 3 to 5 p.m. CEST. In Kinshasa, a national forum is bringing together people from across society, including victims’ groups, students, politicians, faith leaders, and the media, as a show of national solidarity and collective  demand for peace and justice.

To join the movement, visit panzi.org/endthewar and follow #EndTheEndlessWar.

About Panzi
Panzi Hospital and Foundation (Panzi) is a center of excellence for the care and treatment of survivors of sexual violence in the DRC. Panzi’s holistic care model integrates medical treatment, psychosocial support, legal assistance, and socioeconomic empowerment to ensure that survivors regain their dignity and rebuild their lives. This comprehensive care is provided by a staff of over 700 people through our flagship hospital, One-Stop Centers, and mobile clinics, ensuring that survivors receive the full spectrum of support they need. Since 1999, Panzi has treated over 91,000 survivors of sexual violence and performed more than 30,000 surgeries for complex gynecological injuries.

This Wednesday, June 26, 2024, a high-ranking German delegation led by Mrs. Luise Amtsberg, Commissioner for Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid, was welcomed at Panzi Hospital and Foundation.