DRC/South Kivu: UNICEF distributes school supplies in Kalehe

The South Kivu 1 education province, with UNICEF support, launched the 2023-2024 back-to-school support campaign in Bushushu and Nyamukubi in Kalehe territory on Wednesday September 13.

The choice of these two localities is justified by the fact that they were hit by the floods of May 4, which caused several thousand deaths and left at least 5,000 people missing.

Thirty-three schools were affected, 9 of which were completely destroyed by landslides caused by torrential rains.

The back-to-school campaign launched in Bushushu on Wednesday enabled teachers and students from the affected schools to express their needs to provincial education officials.

On behalf of her colleagues, a student from the Bushushu Institute paid tribute to those who died in the calamity, including 300 students, 120 parents and 14 teachers:

"Many students remain orphans and no longer know how to study and get through the 2023-2024 school year. What's more, some of our teachers are not mechanized. How can they work without motivation? So we're asking the authorities who are listening to us to come to our aid.

The governor of South Kivu, Théo Ngwabidje Kasi, was sensitive to the students' cries:

"I have heard the children's cries, and I promise you that, on behalf of the provincial government, we are going to do everything we can to provide answers to the concerns raised. We know that many children are orphans today".

For UNICEF, the aim of the campaign is to reduce the number of children out of school, girls and boys aged 5 to 17.

Source: www.radiookapi.net/