BUNIA, DRC (June 22, 2026) – As the Democratic Republic of Congo grapples with its third-worst Ebola outbreak on record, Save the Children has launched an innovative, play-based educational program designed to protect the nation’s youth. By utilizing puppets, songs, and interactive games like musical statues, the initiative aims to reach children as young as four, demystifying the virus and neutralizing the dangerous misinformation that has paralyzed communities. As the Bundibugyo strain of the virus continues to spread—claiming 232 lives out of 896 documented cases, including at least 26 children—the program acts as a critical line of defense in regions where fear has led to school closures and deep-seated suspicion of medical authorities.
The atmosphere in areas like Ituri Province is one of profound anxiety, where the rapid spread of falsehoods via social media and “battery-less radios” has fostered a culture of denial. Teachers report that classrooms sit largely empty, with some students avoiding school entirely to hide in nearby bushes for fear of contracting the virus. Compounding this educational crisis is a disturbing trend of stigma; students arriving from heavily affected areas are often shunned by their peers. Educators are now tasked with the dual burden of academic instruction and countering narratives that falsely claim hospitals are places where patients go only to die, or that medical staff are intentionally harming those under their care.
In response to these challenges, Save the Children has collaborated with the national Education Cluster to issue comprehensive guidance for examination centers and schools. Teachers are being trained to integrate Ebola awareness into the daily curriculum, emphasizing hygiene, proper handwashing, and the necessity of temperature screenings. To facilitate these measures, the organization has distributed infection prevention and control kits to 33 schools, providing essential equipment like thermal scanners, disinfectants, and hygiene supplies. This initiative aims to transform schools from sites of fear into secured hubs of information, ensuring children can safely sit for their critical end-of-year exams without the threat of infection.
The human toll of this crisis is most visible in the voices of students like 13-year-old Alice, who aspires to be a doctor but finds herself kept from her studies by the pervasive shadow of the outbreak. Alice describes a community fractured by conflicting information, where some neighbors refuse to acknowledge the virus exists while others are consumed by panic. The decline in school attendance is not merely a logistical failure of the education system; it is a manifestation of a community failing to grasp the nature of the virus, leading to low trust in healthcare workers and a rejection of life-saving medical interventions.
Dr. Babou Rukengeza, Save the Children’s Ebola response lead in the DRC, emphasizes that the crisis is as much about societal perception as it is a health emergency. Significant resistance—manifested in the refusal of residents to allow home disinfections and the flight of some patients from isolation facilities—highlights a dangerous disconnect between public health protocols and local understanding. Dr. Rukengeza argues that by utilizing the reach of the school system, responders can bridge this gap, using classrooms as a platform to explain the intent behind prevention measures while restoring a sense of safety and normalcy to children caught in the crossfire.
With a long-standing commitment to the DRC dating back to 1994, Save the Children continues to coordinate with local partners and government authorities to provide holistic support. As the Ebola outbreak continues to disrupt learning and endanger wellbeing, these play-based interventions serve as a vital conduit for change. By fostering an environment of knowledge and inclusive support, the program seeks to silence the rumors that fuel the pandemic, ensuring that children can return to their desks and families can begin to trust the professionals fighting to save their lives.