Cross-border trade

Cross-border trade realities allow for the observation of very important trade flows of primary, secondary and tertiary sector products between Eastern DRC, Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda. South Kivu, one of the provinces of the East of the DRC, is not closed on itself, it maintains trade with other countries including Rwanda and Burundi. It is worth noting that informal cross-border trade has interested the majority of women traders for several years in the city of Bukavu. This trade is carried out to supply the city of Bukavu with foodstuffs and other essential goods.The present study uses a qualitative approach through a series of interviews to show the emotional, relational and psychosocial impact of the informal cross-border trade carried out by women traders of foodstuffs and other goods in the city of Bukavu. The study involved a sample of 437 women traders, 231 of whom were from Bukavu in the DRC and 206 from the Rusizi district in Rwanda.