Twa weza shinda 2!
Living with conflict, working with purpose, strategy and hope.
Our partners at AGIR-RDC work to strengthen the most vulnerable people in their communities. That meant building a program to help teen mothers who were left at the periphery of society with no means to care for their children. Their program, called Tushinde Pamoja which is Swahili for “Succeeding Together,” was enormously successful.
Using what they learned from building that program, our partners formed AGIR-RDC to continue finding new ways to change options for the most vulnerable. They partnered with UFEDOC, formed by domestic workers, who are extremely vulnerable to duress, wage theft, violent crime, and human trafficking.
In May 2021, Mt. Nyiragongo erupted and displaced thousands of people in and near Goma. AGIR’s response was called Twa weza shinda!, “We Can Succeed Again!” Their focus was on how to help refugees start over and rebuild their lives.
In May 2022, military violence escalated in the region and compounded the refugee crisis created the year before. They soon recognized that trauma needed to be addressed before anyone could develop the confidence to return to society and support themselves and their families.
AGIR gained a lot of insight from responding to these crises. Among those insights are the following themes:
Listening and being heard are key steps in addressing trauma, essential before people are able to learn and process new ways.
Gender equity is key. Girls have to have the same options as boys to learn and develop their capacities.
Novel vocational skills that fit essential needs in the community provide a means of income that make it possible to start over.
Literacy is paramount, now more than ever that cell phones are becoming mainstream in Congo. Access to reliable information and the ability to communicate in crisis or peace makes all the difference.
AGIR-RDC just launched Twa weza shinda 2! Classes start in October, 2022.
This is an integrated approach with access to psychological care, legal support, vocational and life skills, networking, and training on how to run a business. Add to that a focus on skills that travel or take little equipment, and access to regional locations where training for businesses that need less portable equipment can take place and operate.
AGIR obtained a plot of land where they will train their first tailoring cohort. An initial center in Mugunga will include tailoring, culinary arts, and tech. Courses that require less equipment will be taught in other locations.
Our partners use government approved curricula so students can take national exams and receive an accredited certificate. Because AGIR is respected and known, the local officials are glad to help them provide this service to the community.
AGIR hopes to grow this program to include accredited training for trades like masonry, driving (buses, livery, trucks), aesthetics, culinary arts, hospitality, professional cleaning, child development, literacy and computer skills.