River flooding: 7 schools affected in Kinshasa Mont- Amba

The rising waters of the Congo River have caused significant property damage and prevented schools across the country—and in Kinshasa in particular—from resuming classes as usual. In the Kinshasa/Mont-Amba educational province, for example, a total of seven schools have been affected. Reached by phone, Provincial Education Director Astrid Nyambuyi stated that a meeting with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is scheduled for Friday, January 19, following which the province could address this situation on a case-by-case basis, as it affects nearly 6,000 students in this educational jurisdiction. It should be noted that the schools affected by this situation are: - EP 3 Limete; - EP1 Kingabwa; - Limete Technical and Scientific High School; - Kingabwa Institute; - EP1 Saint Kizito; - EP2 Saint Kizito; - Saint Kizito Institute The status report provided by this educational province indicates that at EP1 Kingabwa and the Kingabwa Institute, the desks are damaged, and the walls have been engulfed by river sand, which is also causing a shortage of drinking water. At EP3 Limete and the Limete Technical and Scientific High School, the toilets are damaged and have become unusable. In the Limete 3 sub-district, there is a need to repair the toilets, reinforce the walls, and address the water shortage. As a reminder, several neighborhoods located along the Congo River have been experiencing flooding since the rains resumed last November. The Congo River, whose banks have been breached by the heavy rains falling across the country, is now flooding surrounding households. Ouriel Mangitukwa