Every Word Counts | From Survival To Governance

A participant takes careful notes during a breast and cervical cancer awareness session organized by Dr. Elisabeth Mishika and the Fondation Elisabeth Mishika (FEM) in Goma, North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, on March 21, 2026.

The image captures the quiet intensity of women determined to learn, protect themselves, and carry this knowledge back to their communities many of which remain cut off from formal healthcare systems due to ongoing conflict in North Kivu. For Dr. Mishika, such moments embody the core mission of FEM: that every woman who leaves better informed becomes a potential lifeline for others, multiplying the reach of care far beyond the walls of any clinic or conference room.

©Isaac Bujirwa | Sote Pamoja DRC & FCRJ London