Plastic sheeting serving as tents and mattresses laid on the ground: in Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo, the widows of fallen soldiers are struggling to survive in a makeshift camp. They say they fled the capital of North Kivu province, Goma, after it fell to the M23 rebels in January 2025. Left with nothing, they are demanding access to a share of their late husband’s pension.
In the videos, dozens of women are seen crowded around makeshift tents constructed from plastic sheeting. One woman agreed to show the interior of her tent, revealing mattresses laid directly on the ground. Outside, others can be seen doing their children's hair, cooking, or talking among themselves, trying to maintain a semblance of normal daily life.
The footage of this camp, located in Beni, North Kivu, was captured by Jack Sinzahera, an activist originally from Goma. The provincial capital was captured by the M23 rebels on January, 27 2025.
A significant portion of the population in eastern DR Congo has been displaced by the ongoing conflict between rebels of the M23 movement and the Congolese army, which entered its current phase in 2021. According to the UN, by 2025, five million people were living in makeshift camps like the one in Beni.
‘They left their homes because they were afraid that they might face repression by the rebels’
Our Observer Jack met these women after fleeing Goma himself. He reached out to the Observers team to draw attention to their dire living conditions:
“These women are the widows of soldiers. I asked them to tell me about it.
They left their homes because they were afraid that, as the wives and dependents of government soldiers, they might face repression by the rebels.
There aren't just women living in the camp. There are soldiers' families and wounded veterans, like this elderly man I filmed. He's living under plastic sheeting today, with no assistance.”
Jack also said that military widows have settled in Beni following the provincial authorities' temporary relocation to the city. Hoping for easier access to support, the women established a makeshift camp around the Mulekera youth centre, a public building, because there was no available space elsewhere.
An individual who works in this building, speaking to our team on the condition of anonymity, says that “250 households” are living around the site and that their presence is disrupting the centre’s operations. The restroom facilities are reportedly out of order, and offices have become difficult to access as they are being used regularly as shelters. He also told us:
“They sought out a location that offered enough space and could be kept clean. This site [the Mulekera youth office] proved to be well-suited for them. We asked them, ‘Who are you?’ and they told us that they were fleeing war. So we welcomed them here. Hospitality is a cornerstone of African culture.”
A source working at the Mulekera youth centre in Beni shared this photograph with our team. It shows the working conditions in the centre’s offices. Women in the camp use the offices as shelters, disrupting daily activities. © Observers
‘We thought we would get financial assistance here. But since we arrived, we haven't received anything’
Some of these women still have official cards confirming their husbands' deaths, proving their status as government-recognised dependents. They granted us permission to review several of these documents.
Under Congolese law, the wife and children of soldiers killed in combat are supposed to receive part of their husband's pension. But most of the women in Beni said they did not receive anything. Grace (not her real name) speaks for the group:
“We thought we would get financial assistance here. But since we arrived, we haven't received anything, not even 100 francs [0,38 euros]. Nothing.
We're asking the government to help us. We're asking for our husbands' salaries. It's our right, but we've been waiting in vain since we arrived.”
Those who apply for the pension said their requests have gone unanswered or have been blocked for reasons that have not been clearly explained. One of them told us, while leafing through her file:
“This is my file for getting my husband's pension. But someone has written: ‘on hold’. I don't understand why. What do they mean by ‘on hold’?”
Local activists told us they believe the money has been diverted. We asked the Congolese authorities, via the Communications Ministry, to explain what is happening to the women's requests. We did not receive an answer. We will publish their response if we receive one.
‘We had a case where a child aged under 5 died of malnutrition’
Without payments, the women living in the camp in Beni are reduced to begging – some even say prostitution – to support their families. The conditions can be dangerous for the babies and young children who live with their mothers.
Françoise Nzoga, the coordinator of the local NGO Protection and Solidarity, told our team:
“If someone in the family gets sick, they don't have money to pay for medical care. In February, we had a case where a child aged under five died of malnutrition. And a woman tried to hang herself. She almost died.”
With the rainy season approaching, conditions are expected to deteriorate further. Heavy rains frequently flood the camp, soaking residents and their belongings, which remain poorly sheltered under makeshift plastic tarp tents.
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