Goma: Living with the risk of Nyiragongo's eruptions

Located between Lake Kivu and the Virunga National Park in Eastern Congo, the city of Goma is home to more than a million people living under the permanent threat of a dangerous neighbour: Nyiragongo volcano, one of the world’s most active volcanoes. This 30 minute documentary takes you inside the daily reality of residents of Goma, a city built on lava, shaken by wars and earthquakes, yet full of life and resilience. Through their testimonies, we revisit the memories of past eruptions—1977, 2002, and the sudden 2021 event that displaced thousands of people.

Families describe the fear of fleeing within minutes, the pain of losing their homes and loved ones, and the immense courage required to start over again and again. The documentary also explores the ongoing challenges of rebuilding their houses and livelihoods in a landscape scarred by lava, while highlighting how risk preparedness and scientific knowledge intertwine with the deep attachment of people to their city and land, and their determination to keep looking forward.

With powerful stories and striking images, Goma: Living with the Risk of
Nyiragongo Eruptions is more than a documentary—it is a moving portrait of a community living with risk every day, yet refusing to surrender its hope and its future.

A documentary written and directed by Blaise Mafuko Nyandwi (University of Goma, DR Congo), Matthieu Kervyn (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium), Caroline Michellier (Africa Museum, Belgium), Benoît Smets (Africa Museum, Belgium)