Returning to a country shaped by conflict and resilience

Armed conflict in North Kivu, the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been largely continuous since the mid-1990s. Maurice Sadlier of World Vision Ireland visited a school and community supported by one of their programmes

Former members of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo and police officers who allegedly surrendered to M23 rebels in Goma, Congo, last year. Since the March 23 Movement (M23) captured Goma in January 2025 and the airport closed, visits to Irish Aid-funded programmes in the province have required a more circuitous route. File photo: AP/Moses Sawasawa

The last time I landed in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), almost 20 years ago, I managed to lose my yellow fever certificate somewhere between Nairobi and Kinshasa, despite repeated warnings from a colleague that it was essential for entry. I was “offered” a replacement vaccination on the spot and, after some discussion, negotiation and a fine, was allowed through.

This time, I held on to my certificate and presented it with quiet triumph, only to be waved past without interest. The colour yellow followed us into the city. Kinshasa’s taxis and buses are required to be painted yellow, a simple visual rule imposed in the name of order, safety and control. Allegedly.