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In the Kabare territory, within the Mudusa grouping in South Kivu (DRC), five elderly women, pillars of their community, including Anastazia M’Chofi, have shared their stories. Reached through the “Nature Educ” program by Naturel CD, via the “Luhoko Story Bench” initiative of the Elders Assistance organization, they opened up about their memories, genealogy, and long struggle for access to clean water. Their testimony highlights nature-based solutions (NbS) across generations.
“Before, water flowed abundantly from natural springs,” they recall. In Mudusa, access to drinking water was once simple, thanks to the generosity of nature. The grandmothers describe a village living in harmony with its rivers and ancestral wells.
Then came hardship. They recount long, exhausting walks under a scorching sun just to fetch water. Worse still were the dangers they faced. “We were blocked on the way, beaten, and our containers were taken,” one of them shares. Often, herders caused fear along these routes, turning a daily chore into a nightmare.
The 1988 turning point: Public standpipes installed thanks to Cahi parish priests
Hope returned in 1988. With the support of Father Curé Jean Pes from Saint John the Baptist Parish of Cahi, the drinking water project installed the first public standpipes in the Luhoko sub-village. “For the first time, I saw water flowing from a tap!” exclaimed Anastazia M’Chofi. This initiative continues to serve thousands of households in Bukavu and surrounding areas to this day.
These powerful exchanges, rich in history and lessons, highlight both climate and social urgency. The “Nature Educ” program by Naturel CD, along with the Local Climate Forum of the DRC initiated through the Cassandra Conference, is preserving this legacy by raising awareness among younger generations about local knowledge and nature-based solutions.
In Mudusa, in eastern DRC, water is no longer just a resource, it has become a symbol of resilience.
Patrick Mapenzi
