Bomb Victim Becomes Congo's Lifeline for Fellow Amputees
Kinshasa, 12 February 2026
After losing her leg in a 2014 bombing, Wivine Kavira Mukata has become eastern Congo’s beacon of hope for disabled survivors. Operating from Goma’s only comprehensive amputee centre, she crafted 722 prosthetic limbs in 2024 alone whilst fresh violence from M23 rebels creates hundreds more casualties.
From Trauma to Training: A Decade-Long Journey
Mukata’s transformation from victim to healer began with her own devastating injury in 2014 [1]. The bombing that claimed her leg could have marked the end of her story, but instead it became the catalyst for an extraordinary mission. After years of personal recovery, she pursued training as an ortho-prosthetist in Togo, returning to the Democratic Republic of Congo in December 2024 with skills that would prove immediately crucial [1]. Her timing proved prophetic, as the M23 armed group launched a lightning offensive in January 2025, seizing Goma and subsequently capturing Bukavu in attacks that killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands [1].
The Only Haven in Goma
The Shirika la Umoja centre, whose name means ‘Community leads to unity’ in Swahili, stands as the sole comprehensive facility for amputees in Goma, eastern Congo’s largest city [1]. Founded more than 60 years ago and becoming an official partner of the International Committee of the Red Cross in 2014, the centre provides orthotics, prostheses, wheelchairs and mental health sessions [1]. The statistics from 2024 reveal the scale of need: 722 people received prosthetics at the centre, whilst through September 2025, 524 people benefited from physical rehabilitation services [1]. Of these recent patients, 143 received prostheses and 192 received orthoses - externally fitted devices that help body parts move or recover from injury [1].
Restoring More Than Mobility
Beyond the technical aspects of prosthetic creation, Mukata’s work addresses the profound psychological impact of amputation. ‘You get demoralized. You think it’s the end of your story,’ she explained, drawing from her own experience to counsel patients [1]. Her unique position as both practitioner and fellow survivor allows her to offer something beyond medical expertise. ‘But with what we do here, we restore confidence and motivation to the person who has lost their limb. And since I’m also a victim, I can at least motivate them and tell them that after the amputation, life goes on,’ she noted [1]. This dual role as healer and peer support has become central to the centre’s approach to rehabilitation.
A Childhood Dream Redirected
Mukata’s original ambition was far removed from her current calling - her childhood dream was to become a computer scientist [2]. The bombing that changed her life trajectory also redirected her aspirations towards a field she never imagined entering. Her story gained recognition beyond the borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo, with Spanish publication Mundo Negro featuring her work on 6 February 2026 [2]. The centre’s courtyard now regularly fills with amputees trying out crutches and wheelchairs between physical therapy sessions, each representing another life touched by Mukata’s transformed mission [1]. Despite persistent insecurity making it difficult for some potential patients to reach the facility, the centre continues its vital work in one of the world’s most conflict-affected regions [1].