Dubbed Africa’s first World War, the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly known as Zaire) over basic resources such as water, access and control over rich minerals and other resources as well as various political agendas involved seven nations. More than 5 million people died not only from fighting but also from non-violent causes such as malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia and malnutrition—all typically preventable in normal circumstances. Children account for 47% of the deaths.

CEPROJED – The Vocational Training Center for Youth in Distress

The Vocational Training Center for Youth in Distress in Uvira territory trains girls and young mothers to make bread and soaps, products that are not generally available for sale in areas of the DRC. The local leaders warmly welcomed this project having recognized the abject poverty both girls and young women of the community are facing and the consequences that lead them to prostitution.

Working for Empowerment
By obtaining a trade and the skills needed to start their own businesses, these girls will not be forced to depend on prostitution to provide for themselves and their families. Beneficiaries of the program can receive a small loan which they repay from the sales of their products. This means that girls and young women are able to start a small informal business without any money of their own, in essence giving them ‘wings to fly’. From the proceeds they can pay school fees for their children, contribute to the family expenses, and pay medical health expenses. Furthermore, these girls and women will be less marginalized and more empowered.

International Market Place
Many of the project’s customers for soap products come from Rwanda, Burundi and other DRC provinces (Moba and Kalemie). However more capital is needed to increase production in their small facility.

Working for Peace
During the training sessions, trainees come in contact with women from areas that had been in conflict. The sessions allowed the them to work together peacefully after the conflict which had torn apart the country for almost a decade.

Fatu

FATU is a responsible woman of her household, mother of five children. After she lost her husband, the life of the family declined.  After the training, she requested a credit of 100$ from CEPROJED . Two months later, she was earning 10 $USD a week. This money allows her to pay school fees for the children and to reimburse every month an amount of 10 $USD for the loan to CEPROJED.

She said, “If I had a clean capital, really I could live well with my family and provide for all the expenditures. I am very recognizing of the learning formation [training].”

There are many more women and girls who could benefit from the training and micro-credit offered from CPROJED. More money is needed to expand the soap-making facilities and provide machines for bread-making. You can help by becoming a contributing member of VGIF.

Filed under: 2009,Dem. Rep. of Congo,Economic Self-Sufficiency,Featured Projects,Micro Credit
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