GAKURU’s story illustrates the devastating impact of conflict and displacement on children facing malnutrition in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. After recovering from severe acute malnutrition with support from World Vision, two-year-old GAKURU was forced to flee with his family when violence swept through his village, leading to a relapse. Through continued nutritional support and follow-up care, he eventually recovered. His journey highlights the resilience of children and families living through crisis, while showing how World Vision’s Nexus Accelerator Fund continues to provide life-saving nutrition support in hard-to-reach and conflict-affected communities.

On Nigerien National Women's Day, the women staff of World Vision Niger donated essential medical equipment to the Dosso Mother and Child Health Center, enabling the facility to fully operate a second operating theatre. Before the donation, the center had only one functional theatre, making it difficult to meet the growing demand for emergency obstetric and gynecological surgeries. According to Dr. Bacharou Adamou Mamane Sani, the lack of equipment and partners often delayed life-saving interventions. The donated equipment including an operating table, surgical lights, cesarean and gynecological surgical kits, warming lamps, and an oxygen concentrator has transformed surgical services. With two operational theatres, the center can now treat more than 15 patients daily, significantly reducing waiting times and improving emergency care. The new equipment has also enhanced working conditions for healthcare staff and contributed to reducing maternal and newborn mortality. Dr. Bacharou expressed his gratitude to World Vision Niger, emphasizing that this timely support has strengthened healthcare services and brought lasting benefits to women, newborns, and the wider Dosso community.

Every year between July and December, the pediatric ward at Tahoua Regional Hospital became overwhelmed during the peak malaria season. Overcrowded rooms, children sharing beds, and limited space made it difficult for health workers to provide quality care. According to Dr. Sabo Sahabi, the hospital could not turn patients away despite the lack of capacity, resulting in poor hygiene, challenging working conditions, and discomfort for both patients and caregivers. After witnessing these conditions during a hospital visit in 2021, the women staff of World Vision International Niger decided to take action. They supported the construction of a new pediatric ward, completed in 2023 and officially handed over in 2024. Equipped with 12 beds, mattresses, fans, medical furniture, and air conditioning, the ward now provides a safer and more comfortable environment for sick children. Used mainly during the malaria season, the new ward has eased overcrowding, improved patient care, and created better working conditions for medical staff, bringing lasting hope to the hospital and the families it serves.

Rosette, a 38-year-old mother of seven in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, transformed emergency assistance into a sustainable livelihood after receiving a reintegration kit through a World Vision project funded by the United States Government. Her inspiring journey highlights how targeted humanitarian support can restore dignity, strengthen resilience, and help vulnerable families rebuild their lives.

As the Emergency Response to WASH, Protection and Livelihood Needs of IDPs and Host Communities in North Kivu project comes to an end, its impact continues to live on through the people and communities it transformed. Through the voices of mothers, children, community volunteers, facilitators, mentors, and local leaders, this article highlights how Child-Friendly Spaces and Safe Spaces restored hope, strengthened protection systems, and empowered communities to safeguard children and survivors of gender-based violence. It demonstrates that while humanitarian projects may have a defined lifespan, the knowledge, resilience, and commitment they leave behind create a lasting legacy that continues to protect vulnerable families long after project activities have ended.

This human-interest article highlights how access to safe drinking water is transforming lives in the Bambo and Kibirizi Health Zones of North Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. It showcases the impact of a World Vision WASH project, funded by the U.S. Department of State, in improving access to clean water, promoting hygiene and sanitation practices, and reducing waterborne diseases. Through the voices of community members, children, parents, and health officials, the story illustrates tangible improvements in health, school attendance, personal hygiene, and community well-being. It also demonstrates how behavioural change, combined with sustainable water and sanitation infrastructure, is fostering healthier and more resilient communities. While celebrating the project's achievements, the article underscores the continued need to expand water and sanitation services so that every family can benefit from safe, reliable access to clean water.

Chaque année, entre juillet et décembre, le service de pédiatrie du Centre Hospitalier Régional de Tahoua faisait face à une forte affluence liée au paludisme, entraînant une surcharge des lits, des conditions d’hospitalisation difficiles et un personnel médical sous pression. Selon le Dr Sabo Sahabi, il était impossible de refuser les patients malgré le manque d’espace, ce qui compliquait les soins et dégradait les conditions d’hygiène. Sensibilisé à cette situation lors d’une visite en 2021, le staff féminin de World Vision International Niger a décidé de financer la construction d’une nouvelle salle d’hospitalisation. Les travaux, achevés en 2023 et réceptionnés en 2024, ont permis d’offrir un espace équipé de 12 lits, de ventilateurs, de mobilier médical et d’un système de climatisation. Inaugurée à l’occasion de la Journée Nationale de la Femme Nigérienne, cette salle est aujourd’hui essentielle pendant les pics de paludisme. Elle améliore la qualité des soins, désengorge le service et offre un environnement plus digne aux enfants, à leurs familles et au personnel soignant.

À l'occasion de la Journée Nationale de la Femme Nigérienne, le personnel féminin de World Vision Niger a offert un important lot d'équipements médicaux au Centre Mère-Enfant de Dosso afin de rendre opérationnel un deuxième bloc opératoire. Selon le Dr Bacharou Adamou Mamane Sani, chef du service post-opératoire, le centre ne disposait auparavant que d'un seul bloc opératoire malgré un nombre élevé d'urgences obstétricales et gynécologiques. Le don comprend notamment une table opératoire, des scialytiques, des lampes chauffantes, des boîtes de césarienne, des boîtes d'intervention gynécologique, un concentrateur d'oxygène et d'autres équipements essentiels. Grâce à ces matériels, le centre peut désormais faire fonctionner deux blocs opératoires et prendre en charge plus de 15 patientes par jour, réduisant considérablement les délais d'intervention. Le Dr Bacharou souligne que ces équipements ont amélioré la qualité des soins, renforcé les capacités du personnel soignant et contribué à réduire la mortalité maternelle et néonatale. Il exprime sa profonde gratitude à World Vision Niger pour ce soutien déterminant qui continue de sauver des vies.

World Vision, through the WALIP Project funded by the U.S. Government, is helping conflict-affected children in North Kivu, eastern DRC, rebuild their lives through Child-Friendly Spaces. In Kanyaruchinya, nearly 900 children participate in educational, recreational, and psychosocial activities each week in a safe environment that promotes healing and growth. According to Moyo Khangezani, Chief of Party of the WALIP Project, football has become a powerful tool for helping children cope with trauma, regain confidence, and envision a brighter future. Inspired by the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and role models such as Cédric Bakambu, children like Ruphin and Kevine are pursuing their dreams while developing resilience and hope. The Child-Friendly Spaces demonstrate how investing in child protection, learning, and well-being can transform the lives of children affected by conflict.