CITY, Country — Last year, over 1. 2 million people from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) were forced to flee their homes. Their journeys took them through Uganda and Burundi, where they found refuge in camps, each marked by their own story of separation and survival.
In November 2025 and March 2026, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited Musenyi and Busuma camps in Burundi, where tens of thousands of Congolese refugees sought shelter. Among them were Furaha Salima and her children, whose story is emblematic of the broader quest for family among displaced populations. Salima, a mother who crossed the Rusizi River with her children, now raises six in the Musenyi camp, while the ICRC continues to search for the parents of a little girl she saved from the river. “.
We haven’t found anyone yet, “she says, her hope tested by time.
In neighboring Uganda, Nakivale refugee settlement, Africa’s oldest, has hosted generations of displaced individuals, each carrying their own sorrow and unanswered questions. Michael Mugishu arrived alone, having lost his family during the flight. He seeks solace and information at the Red Cross connectivity center, hoping to hear from those he lost.
The Red Cross connectivity centers, established to help families reunite, have been instrumental in the search. Last year, over 10,000 calls were made through these centers in Burundi alone. Amidst the overcrowded camps and the overwhelming uncertainty, the search for lost family members remains a poignant and relentless endeavor.
For those like Salima, Mugishu, and thousands like them, the quest for answers is not just a matter of finding missing loved ones; it is about restoring a sense of belonging and continuity in their lives.
As the ICRC and other humanitarian organizations continue their work, the global community must remain committed to supporting these families, recognizing the human cost of conflict and displacement, and striving to bridge the gaps that separate them from their past and hope for a future.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
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This original article was produced by the ImNews editorial team
Source: reliefweb
Source: International Committee of the Red Cross
