TITLE:
Rural and Suburban Living Conditions in the Kivu Highlands
AUTHORS:
Jean-Berckmans Bahananga Muhigwa, Romain Ntabiruba Lwaboshi, Valerien Bishikwabo Kasereka, Godefroid Baguma Kabobya
KEYWORDS:
Welfare, Rural, Suburban, Tropical
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.13 No.9,
September
24,
2025
ABSTRACT: This study assessed living conditions and development levels in 16 administrative Divisions in South Kivu. The aim was to estimate the level of indicators of welfare and access to basic social services, the situation of agro-pastoral activities, and the impact of local development associations, with a view to providing basic statistics for local development plans across the various ecoregions and highlighting links with life standards in similar conditions. We used interviews, focus groups, and statistical analysis. The survey questionnaire was submitted to a total of 1,120 people, including 960 individual interviews and 160 participants in 16 focus groups. The results show that households’ level of access to basic social services is limited; a considerable proportion of the population has no access to healthcare; among households with 5 - 8 children, many are out of school due to lack of financial means; and households seldom have access to electric power. In addition, few have tapped water at home. They must travel considerable distances to reach a drinking water source. The majority of people live on agro-pastoral activities. Family landholdings are generally small. The monthly income declared is low. Farmer supervision is weak, as is support from development associations and the State. Access to microcredit is poor. In many places, children walk more than 2 km to reach primary and secondary schools. Housing is typically indecent, and infrastructure is in poor condition. This information is instrumental for archiving livelihood situations before the current war, which resurged in 2022 in this focus region.