Pauline Muamba, 15, grew up in the heart of Kasai Centrale, Democratic Republic of Congo. The region is very poor but was previously peaceful, until a conflict between a local hereditary leader and the government spiralled into widespread violence in August 2016. Armed groups soon formed and in the course of a year an estimated 1.6 million people were forced to flee their homes to escape the violence. Here, Pauline describes what happened – and what needs to happen to stop war breaking out again.
War is at the root of all the troubles. I knew some girls who joined the militia. They were my age, or even younger than me. They went off to battle to kill people. All with the goal of having cheaper food, school supplies, and getting good health care.
We would hear people say that there was going to be a war, but we didn't know how it was going to be. One day we just saw it start. And then we started hearing rumours about people being killed and beheaded.
I was sleeping at home with my parents when the battle started in March. We heard the armed men knocking from door to door. They were going into the houses and killing people. I was sharing a bed with my little sister. We woke up, opened the door, and ran. Papa and Mama fled too but we didn't know where they went.
I'm 15 years old, and my sister Misenga is 10. She can only walk short distances at a time. We followed men pushing their bicycles on the road to Kananga to try and find our grandmother. We had to sleep in the bush to feel safe. When we arrived at our grandmother's house, months had passed and she told us that Papa, Mama, and our brothers and sisters had all been killed.
The militias were at the root of all the conflict. They told us that the war would give us a good government and we'd all be able to go to school for free. They'd give us things like notebooks and backpacks for school.
They say now we have peace because the armed groups agreed to stop, but in order to keep the peace we need the elections to go peacefully. When they happen, I hope whoever wins has a good character. It would be good if he can make food more affordable, so that orphans like us can live well and eat.
I've seen people register to vote for the elections. They said that even children should register, but when I tried to go my Grandmother said not to be silly, that they would chase me from the registration centre. If my grandma had let me go, I would have registered and if I was old enough I would vote for peace.
If the war starts again, we'll flee and find another village. But right now the militia isn't here any more, they've fled. If they try to start again, we'll share our food with them so they won't fight any more.
It was March when they attacked us. Now, they tell us that we have peace.
Pauline attends World Vision's Child Friendly Space on the outskirts of Kananga every day, where children affected by the conflict are given a safe space to play and process their experiences, as well as receive psychosocial support.
