This study examines the perceptions of the population of the city of Bukavu regarding the integration of sexual and reproductive education programs into the school curriculum for adolescents. It is based on the observation that adolescents often grow up in ignorance and face numerous challenges related to sexuality and reproductive health, due to the lack of appropriate information spaces and the limited involvement of some parents and educators in addressing these issues. To this end, 47 semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents, civil society actors, health professionals, and educators working in primary and secondary education in Bukavu. In addition, three focus groups were held with 23 adolescents aged 10 to 19. A document analysis was also carried out, drawing on the activities of civil society organizations engaged in promoting sexual and reproductive education. The findings reveal largely repressive perceptions of sexual and reproductive education in both family and school settings. These forms of resistance, rooted in social, cultural, and religious norms, limit the ability of parents and teachers to support adolescents in their sexual development. However, the young participants expressed the need to move beyond taboos in order to access reliable information that would enable them to better understand their bodies, make informed choices, and prevent the negative consequences of the absence of sexual education. The study suggests a participatory, gender-sensitive, and culturally contextualized educational approach, prioritizing the engagement of adolescents in a process of empowerment that enables them to better understand their bodies, make informed choices, and reduce their vulnerability to sexual and reproductive risks.

This study provides an illuminating insight into the complex dynamics between afforestation, food security and land tenure patterns in South Kivu. Comprehensive data was collected from households in 8 of the 15 administrative groupings in Kaziba. There has been a significant expansion of afforestation on agricultural land, fuelled by factors such as the creation of income from trees (37.5%), soil degradation and low field productivity (34.6%), the generation of tree-related employment (22.7%), and even rural exodus (5.2%). These changes are closely linked to key variables such as the age of the heads of household, their modes of access to land, and the year in which agricultural land was converted to afforestation (P-Value ≤ 5). Plantations generate higher incomes, which households use astutely to send their children to school, support commercial activities, repay previous debts, invest, purchase productive assets and, of course, buy food. Agricultural food production is relatively low, with 75% of households relying on local markets for their food supplies. This exposes them to high prices and cash shortages, due to the long planting cycle. The study highlights that 81.7% of households in Kaziba currently face food poverty, reflected by a food consumption score of between 0 and 21 points. Their average dietary diversity is based on three food categories: white roots and tubers, vegetables, and oils and fats.