In the heart of Goma, among the temporary shelters of refugees and the distant echoes of a conflict that has marked daily life for months, there is a school that continues to function.
This is the Floribert Bwana Chui school, dedicated to a young martyr for justice, killed for his resistance to corruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Today, the school is a place of welcome, education, and support—a stable point for many families who find much more here than just classrooms. In a region deeply affected by war, where over 370,000 children are at risk of being recruited by armed groups, this school is one of the few still open. The numbers are alarming: more than 2,500 schools closed in North and South Kivu, 1.4 million students forced out of the education system, and entire facilities turned into shelters for displaced persons or occupied by militias. In this situation, keeping a school running for nearly 1,000 children is a responsibility and a powerful sign of hope for the future and peace.
Today, the school is a place of welcome, education, and support—a stable point for many families who find much more here than just classrooms. In a region deeply affected by war, where over 370,000 children are at risk of being recruited by armed groups, this school is one of the few still open. The numbers are alarming: more than 2,500 schools closed in North and South Kivu, 1.4 million students forced out of the education system, and entire facilities turned into shelters for displaced persons or occupied by militias. In this situation, keeping a school running for nearly 1,000 children is a responsibility and a powerful sign of hope for the future and peace.
"Solidarity is our response to war" say the leaders of the Community of Sant'Egidio, echoing the choice made by the Communities of Sant'Egidio in Ukraine, in similarly difficult conditions.
The Floribert School is not just a place of learning—it is also a space for social cohesion. It sis a reference point for the neighbourhood, especially for those living in extreme hardship. Its well-functioning water pump provides drinking water to many families every day. On food distribution days, the school becomes a support center for the elderly, who are often left with no resources in these precarious conditions and risk being forgotten.
While the conflict continues to threaten the present and future of millions of people, this school is showing what it means to stand with the civilian population. At a time when education is often the first casualty of war, here, we continue to build an alternative, day by day. The 74 students preparing for their final exams stand as proof of this commitment. An achievement that is a sign of hope in a peaceful future for the country.
The Congolese Ministry of Education has publicly condemned the devastation of the education system in the eastern provinces: schools destroyed, occupied, or violated. Children are paying the price—denied their right to education and the desire for normality. In this context, the Floribert School, with its open doors and everyday dedication, demonstrates that there is another way of standing by people. And that it is worth continuing.
