The last two weeks of November and early December 2025 saw a surge of violence in South Kivu. M23 attacks along the Kamanyola–Sange road triggered fighting of exceptional intensity, now threatening the town of Uvira, the last strategic stronghold of the Congolese armed forces (FARDC) in this border area. This rapid deterioration has forced more than 18,000 people to flee, nearly 40% of them children.
In the chaos of displacement, more than 600 unaccompanied children have been identified by local authorities and humanitarian organisations, some of whom crossed the borders into Rwanda and Burundi alone. Extreme exhaustion, psychological trauma, the risk of going missing, exploitation or violence: these children are now in a situation of absolute vulnerability.
In response to this emergency, SAPI (Save the People International) is making an immediate appeal to donors, foundations, international partners and all supporters to strengthen a rapid response focused on the most critical needs.
Urgent priorities for unaccompanied children
- Setting up 4 temporary protection centres in the border areas
- Registration and family reunification, estimated to be needed for more than 400 children
- Emergency psychosocial support: at least 1,200 traumatised children need immediate care
- Setting up safe spaces in transit areas in Rwanda and Burundi, where more than 3,000 refugees have been arriving every day since the fighting began
Without rapid financial support, local structures, already overstretched and under-resourced, will no longer be able to protect these children, who are exposed to abuse and the risk of human trafficking.
Every contribution counts. EUR 25 can feed and protect a child for a week; EUR 150 can provide full psychosocial follow-up for a month.
SAPI calls on the international community to act today to stop this crisis from getting worse. Saving these children is possible, but action must be immediate.
