Jordan Bita would rather venture to swim on the roaring river than stay home and be called up by rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The 25-year-old clutched a black trash can with some possessions as he crossed the Rusizi River with a strong current that formed the border between the Congo and the Burundi Dr.
As the conflict between the Eastern Congo Doctors escalates, it is the final stage of a desperate journey, with the M23 rebels occupying the cities of Goma and Bukavo in the past five weeks.
“I managed to escape safely…because I was crossing the forest and moving along the bushes instead of the main road,” he told the BBC after climbing up the banks of the river on the side of Berondi and wiping water from his face.
“This is because the M23 fighter jets are everywhere and they force us to join them in fighting the government,” he said.
Burundian troops are monitoring the banks of the north-west province where Congolese families cross.
They were among nearly 70,000 people seeking asylum here last month as they continued their journey to the south of Dr. Congo by the M23 rebels in Rwanda (neighbor of Bundie the North).
At the end of January, they rode the main hub of Goma in the northern northern province of Dr. Congo and in mid-February Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu.
People who cross Rusizi sometimes travel multiple times to bring goods to the border [BBC]
Mr. Bita's luggage has been thoroughly inspected by the Burundian army's orders – weapons are not allowed.
Afterwards, he picked up his bag and lifted it up his head, and followed the steep hill to the nearest refugee camp along the road about 12 kilometers (7 miles) near the town of Rugombo.
He brought much needed food (corn meals, peanuts and beans) to his family, who had already set up a temporary camp at the town’s football field.
Another man, Amani Sebakungu, looked tired and tried to hold his breath when he came out of Rusizi: “In the river, you just have to cheer up and say if I'm dead or survive, so that's it. God wants me to pass by safely.”
When the BBC team interviewed Mr. Sebakungu, Burundian troops ordered us all to evacuate the area as M23 rebels were found heading towards the other side toward the river.
Later, from the nearby hills we can see the single file of rebels walking in military fatigue and preventing people on the Congolese side from crossing.
Those dangers of escaping from the face are real.
Most of the escapes are women and children – officials near Uvria officials are stopping men from leaving because they want them to defend the city [BBC]
In the past two weeks, at least 20 people have been swept away when they tried to swim 300m (984ft) on the river, at some point 10m deep. Many other drownings are believed to be unreported.
10 days ago, Clarice Kacindi lost her three-year-old child while crossing Rusizi.
“One of my children lay on the raft in front of me when I was holding three other people next to me. When we got to the middle of the river, we had many others, and when we got to the middle of the river, the raft was divided into two and my children were swept away.”
She said: “M23 makes our lives very difficult. They have to stop this war. Even if I want to go home, I will be forced to start from scratch. They have stolen everything we left behind.”
Hundreds of white tents have been lived in the stadium as paperwork for those seeking asylum.
Up to 25 people share a tent, and many others sleep under the stars. Food only one meal a day.
Further south, the main border outpost between the Congo Doctor and Burundi is also busy.
It is usually an hour's drive between the nearby Congolese city Uvira and the main Burundi city of Bujumbura and buzzing with merchants and vehicles.
Now, there is only one-way traffic, with refugees flowing into Burundi (mainly women and children).
Burndia security officials, who asked not to be named, told the BBC that the man was not allowed to be on the border and were told to stay in Uvira to defend the city from M23.
“I've escaped to Burundi many times. Since I was a kid… Sometimes, I almost drowned when I was almost escaping:
Burundi has deployed more than 10,000 soldiers in the Congo Doctor to help the troops there fight the M23.
Many of their soldiers are now headquartered in Uvira, with a population of more than 300,000.
It is located at the northern end of the Tanganyika Lake and is now in a high alert state as the M23 rebels march south from Bukavu, reportedly 70 km away from the hotel.
Burundi has been a natural ally of the Congo Doctor for many years due to his hatred with Rwanda.
The relationship between Rwanda and Burundi has long been hostile, accusing each other of trying to overthrow their respective governments.
These countries have similar language and ethnic makeup – Tutsi and Hutu communities often compete for power – and both suffered ethnic-based massacres.
However, unlike Rwanda, led by President Tutsi, most Hutus hold power in Burundi.
Burundian government is concerned that if M23 consolidates its presence in Nankivi by taking Uvira, it will strengthen a Burundian rebel group called Red Tabara.
It is headquartered in South Kivu and consists primarily of Tutsis – which has attacked Burundi in the past.
Rugombo Football Stadium has been established as a temporary area to accommodate a Congolese PhD [BBC]
“It's terrible for Burundi. It's the first time the country has received so many refugees in over 20 years,” Brigitte Mukanga-Eno, an official at the UNHCR, told the BBC.
“We need to support this country in receiving refugees to improve the situation of those still traveling to Burundi so that there is no conflict between refugees and host communities.”
Eighty-seven-year-old Magega Mwarui can prove the turbulent age in the region, often triggered by ethnic competition.
“I've escaped to Burundi many times. We crossed the river and took the little things we left behind,” the Congolese woman, who lost her eyesight, said in Rugobo.
“Since I was young, before I was blind… I almost drowned while running from conflict,” she said.
Charlotte Odile, who now lives in a camp outside Rugombo, has been established for those who have been officially registered as refugees, told us that her husband came to Burundi with four children after being shot dead by M23 rebels in South-Kivu.
“I want to find a home and peace for my children,” she said.
Other reports by Robert Kiptoo of the BBC.
Map: Map of Dr. Congo and Burundi
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