Kalemie - Salima Moma, a 47-year-old mother of two children, is eager to return to her hometown and restart her life with her family. Three years ago, this farmer and homemaker hastily had to leave Lukwangulo, her hometown, to escape the atrocities that occurred in 2017 as a result of intercommunal conflicts between the Twa and the Bantus in the Tanganyika province. 

"Everyone was fleeing, and I had to do the same to ensure the survival of myself and my children. So, I left with my children, with no means of subsistence. Along with other villagers, we walked all the way here to Mukuku. But there were no places to spend the night with our families. So, we occupied the Hodary Primary School, located nearby, and transformed it into a collective center. It was thanks to the advocacy of humanitarian workers that the Chief in Mukuku agreed to provide a site to host the displaced populations fleeing violence in their communities," Alima recounts. 

According to her, living conditions in the Mukuku displacement site have not been easy. It has been a life of dependency that she would have preferred not to subject her children to. 

"The assistance we received was insufficient. I found myself forced to collect and sell small stones to the highest bidders. Unable to afford education, my daughter chose to accompany me in this makeshift business. No parent would wish to see their child living like this when they should be in school. We also lived four people in a hut of about three-square meters with my husband, my daughter, and my three-year-old son. We had no privacy," she recalls.  

"A Lifesaving Project” 

Legend: Alima during the recording of her return intentions, Mukuku IDP site, Tanganyika province, 2021. Photo: IOM

As part of the implementation of the ECHO funded Project on support to Durable solutions in Tanganyika, aimed at supporting displaced populations to facilitate their reintegration into the villages of their choice in the province, IOM initiated a survey in August 2021 to understand the intentions of the Mukuku site residents regarding durable solutions. For Alima Moma, the announcement of this survey and the subsequent activities were promises of a better future. 

"The fact that IOM staff interviewed me to understand my intentions when this site closes was a sign to me that I had reached the end of the tunnel. I clearly informed them that I wanted to return home with my family. The news were reassuring. There was no more insecurity in the area. This project is a lifesaver for me. No one would wish to live in a displaced site when they have the opportunity to return home. This assistance is truly welcomed. I thank IOM and its partners for this crucial support. I am delighted to return home and take charge of my life and that of my household," Mrs. Alima Moma rejoices. 

Alima Moma family is one of almost 670 households at the Mukuku site who received voluntary departure assistance. This support included transportation, a settling-in grant to cover the first month's expenses in the new location, and to buy shelter materials.  

This intervention is part of IOM's efforts to assist internally displaced populations in finding durable solutions through facilitating their reintegration into their original villages or relocation to new villages in Tanganyika. The project is funded by ECHO. 

In total, nearly 670 households on the site received voluntary return assistance and left Mukuku to go to the areas of their choice.