How Congo’s techies are sustaining livelihoods in front of digital screens

By Andrino Akuda

When many people hear “Kivu,” the images that come to mind are all too familiar: war-torn villages, waves of displaced families, women and children in camps, and the glow of lava from Nyiragongo’s eruptions. Mainstream media portrays this corner of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as being trapped in an endless cycle of conflict and survival.

But beyond the headlines, a generation of Congolese Gen Z-ers and Millennials sustain their livelihoods, in front of digital screens. Between power cuts and the sound of distant gunfire, they are coding programs, editing videos, designing graphics and connecting to clients around the world.

It is not glamorous. However, it is a remarkable form of resilience and resistance against the turmoil around them. Kivu is a land of contradictions, rich in resources, yet marked by instability. Here, the future often feels uncertain: electricity is unreliable, safety is not guaranteed, and the economy is fragile. And yet, in this chaos, something persists: connection.

In a cybercafé in Goma, a small home in Bukavu, or on a shared smartphone in Beni, young people log on to connect to the world beyond the violence of their homeland. They find work on Upwork, Fiverr, Toptal, LinkedIn, YouTube, Zoom and Lark.

They are online, plugged in and in tune with the global digital world. For many, remote work has become a lifeline. To freelance is to escape unemployment, rebuild dignity, and frequently, to survive. A simple laptop becomes both shield and bridge, a way to connect to the world beyond conflict zones.

The Freelancers of Kivu
They work in co-working hubs, makeshift offices, cybercafés, their bedrooms and balconies. Joseph Kahusi, a web developer based in Goma, codes from his solar-powered room.

“Living in a conflict zone is destabilising,” he told bird. “Even in peace, access to electricity or the Internet can be frustrating. Add the fear for your safety and that of your loved ones, and you start to ask yourself: what part of your life do you still control?”

A few blocks away, Jess Muhemedi, a graphic designer, runs Almighty Design, serving clients in Nairobi, Kigali, Kampala, Kinshasa, and Bujumbura.

“Working in instability teaches you to see every constraint as an opportunity,” he explained.

“The blackouts and disruptions push us to be inventive. That’s when our best ideas are born.”

From Bukavu, Dan Yessa, a video editor, collaborates with international NGOs and artists. His tools? A second-hand computer, a shaky Internet connection, and sheer determination.

The challenges are constant. A sudden blackout can cut a Zoom call short. Uploading a video might take hours. The boom of gunfire reminds them of how fragile peace can be. Yet, they persevere. They meet deadlines, deliver projects, and build global reputations from one of the most unstable regions on Earth.

Their work says it all: our talent is greater than our circumstances.

This digital workforce strengthens the local economy. Income from their remote jobs feeds families, pays tuition and funds dreams. Young freelancers become trainers on digital skills. Collectives are forming. Small co-working spaces are emerging, powered by solidarity and shared ambition.

These young Congolese are re-writing the narrative about Eastern Congo. It’s a story of creativity over chaos, of knowledge over bullets, of connection over division.