Congolese students studying at the Université Espoir d’Afrique in Ngagara share their struggles with poverty and separation from their families. Since Goma fell to the M23 group, these young people have been living a life filled with fear and survival challenges. Their parents are powerless, the Congolese embassy is silent, and the students are left to fend for themselves.

Jimmy, a student at the Université Espoir d’Afrique in Bujumbura, expresses his worries: “What will I do after graduation? I have no money to live.” He speaks in a trembling voice as he faces his final thesis defense.

He’s not alone. Many other young students from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), now studying in Burundi, find their hopes fading. Narcisse, another student, describes the panic he felt when he lost contact with his family for days. “I was overwhelmed with fear. Thank God they’re safe,” he says, relieved.

Yet financial struggles remain. Relying on money transfers from his family, Narcisse fears he won’t be able to cover rent or school fees. “Without those funds, I’m lost,” he explains.

In these hard times, students lean on each other for help. Jimmy admits that without the support of fellow Congolese, he wouldn’t even have food.

Back in Kisangani, Olivier Maloba Banza, the father of a student in Bujumbura, speaks of a “lost generation.” He wonders how children can focus on studies when they hear about relatives dying under bombings in North Kivu. For him, the displacement of people from Goma to neighboring countries only adds to the students’ misery, leaving them torn between returning home and fearing for their safety.

Financial problems are growing worse for their families. Olivier explains that sending money through mobile banking is increasingly difficult due to unreliable connections and unfavorable exchange rates. The conflict has also cut his income, leaving him worried that if schools don’t lower their fees, many students will have to drop out.

Diplomatic tensions between the DRC, Rwanda, and Burundi only deepen the students’ struggles. Many parents, like Olivier, have lost jobs because of these strained relationships, making it impossible to support their children’s education. He calls for urgent intervention from authorities to help these students continue their studies.

The Congolese embassy in Bujumbura, when approached, declined to comment. An anonymous official stated that the embassy has not received any requests for help. Instead, the official suggested that the students, as adults, should manage on their own. This response hints that the embassy doesn’t plan or isn’t able to provide financial support.