A new start for malnourished children in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Violence and population displacement, sources of malnutrition in children

Alliance Zawadi Munyatware, a 25-year-old bean trader at Kaduki market, has been through a lot. In 2024, fleeing the violence and clashes in North Kivu, Alliance took refuge with her family in one of the camps for displaced people in the town of Goma. But when the armed groups (AFC/M23) took the town of Goma in early 2025, she was once again forced to leave for Sake in extremely difficult conditions.

Even today, Alliance lives in precarious conditions, temporarily housed in a school in the town. Married, she saw her husband abducted by armed men a few weeks after they arrived in Sake and still has no news of him, living in uncertainty about his fate.

Amid this dramatic situation, Alliance has had to face another major challenge: the health of her daughter, Yvette Mupenzi. Until the age of two, Yvette could neither walk nor crawl, a worrying motor condition linked to severe malnutrition. The family's precarious living conditions, frequent and hasty movement, and lack of access to sufficient healthy food were all factors that led to the girl's malnutrition.

Catching up with developmental delays and strengthening the mother-daughter bond

"I went to a health center to treat my daughter's malnutrition," explains Alliance. After initial nutritional treatment, she was referred to the HI teams to begin a treatment program. Her daughter was supported with six sessions of stimulation therapy to develop motor skills, strengthen her muscles, and rediscover the pleasure of playing and exploring her environment. Thanks to this specialist support, her progress has been remarkable: today, Yvette walks without difficulty and recognizes the names of the toys provided for her.

Alliance gratefully acknowledges: "I can see a big improvement in my daughter's life. Today, she can walk, move around, play, and even recognize toys by name.

Alliance's commitment has been key to this success. "By reproducing at home the exercises learned during the sessions and actively participating in them, I have also contributed to improving my daughter's health," she proudly confides.

Over and above the physical progress, this experience has strengthened the bond between mother and daughter, illustrating how nutritional care, dedicated support, and family involvement can transform lives in a lasting way.