Luc Nkulula

Luc Nkulula is a political activist and central figure in the pro-democracy youth movement LUCHA in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Luc, known as H2O within LUCHA due to his vital role in a campaign to improve access to safe drinking water in Goma, defied conventions to engage directly with President Joseph Kabila in demanding democratic change through nonviolent opposition. 

Despite facing arrests, beatings, and repression, Nkulula remained steadfast in his pursuit of a better future for Congolese youth until his untimely passing in 2018. Believed to be an assassination, Luc’s death underscores the ongoing struggle for reform in the DRC. “I’m not scared of dying; I’m scared of dying without having fought for my dignity and that of my people,” he once said.