In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, soldiers with the M23 insurgent group on Tuesday launched heavy attacks on Congolese army forces, breaking a two-day pause in fighting. M23 is now advancing toward Bukavu, another key city in the eastern DRC. Many residents were forced to flee amid fears of an imminent M23 attack, with schools and stores shut down. 

Rose-Victorine Sudila Mwembo: “Our school was badly hit. In fact, I don’t know if you’ve seen the other side. Even the buses that transported students were damaged. When you arrive here, you wonder: Will life ever return to normal? Will the children be able to focus on their lessons after everything they’ve witnessed, the bomb fragments, the destruction, seeing where the bullets landed? Will the students truly settle back into their routines?”