Strength in crisis – one woman’s #ActforHumanity in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Strength and leadership most often emerge from the most challenging and vulnerable places.

For Deheve Machazo, witnessing the dire conditions for women and girls in an internal displacement site was a turning point. “I can’t stay silent while women and girls are in the dark about contraception. I’ve decided to take action to change the community’s mentality,” she explained.

At the Kigonze displacement site in the Democratic Republic of Congo, nestled within the conflict-ridden Ituri province, Deheve listened attentively to the women and girls around her. Alarmed by the lack of information on family planning and reproductive health, she took matters into her own hands, becoming a powerful advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights within the camp.

Violence in the country has left some 7.2  million people internally displaced, more than 860,000 of them are women of childbearing age–leaving them incredibly vulnerable.

“My priority is to help women and girls access the right information on sexual and reproductive health” explains Deheve, who as a community organizer leads family planning awareness-raising activities at the Kigonze site.

During conflicts, leaving behind limited access to healthcare, including reproductive health services. Women and girls living in displacement camps are at greater risk of sexual violence, making access to comprehensive medical and psychological support crucial in humanitarian contexts.

Deheve’s activism has ensured that many women in the site now have access to contraceptive methods for birth regulation and attend prenatal consultations in large numbers.

Deheve has been a changemaker, hand-in-hand with the women and girls in the UNFPA-supported Kigonze Health Center. Since February 2024, the center has provided prenatal consultations to over 700 women, assisted in 144 deliveries with qualified personnel, and ensured 144 newborns received essential care. The Centre is supported by UNFPA and its partners with funding from France.

“All day long, I tell pregnant women that they should go for prenatal consultations, as UNFPA has set up a health center in Kigonze with qualified midwives who help avoid the risks of home birth”.

The impact on the women and girls in Kigonze has been significant. Over 80 cases of obstetric complications were identified early and referred to the general hospital, and 78 women have signed up for family planning. The clinic’s effectiveness has been life-changing, and Deheve’s dedication to supporting and guiding these women will shape the future for many.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UNFPA – East and Southern Africa.