Creating an integrated society by reaching out to those who have been forgotten

By Gentil BAGUMA BYAMUNGU and René BAGUNDA MUHINDO

Democratic Republic of Congo

APEF (Action pour la Promotion de l’Enfant et de la Femme) is a charitable organisation that promotes the interests of women and children in the chiefdom of Luhwindja in the Mwenga region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The chiefdom lies about ninety kilometres from Bukavu, the county seat of the Sud-Kivu province. The chiefdom is similar to the entire eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo in that it holds enormous quantities of gold; yet over 80 percent of its population lives below the threshold of extreme poverty.

For many years, the population survived on the small-scale mining of gold. Five years ago, much of the gold production was handed over to a multinational society. This plunged the community into impoverishment that still affects it to this day. There is a large gap in living standards between people who suffer in destitution and a wealthy minority. The children of families living in poverty are driven out of school because their parents are not able to pay the fees. (Almost all school expenses have to be taken care of by the parents.) The parents try to find work in the informal economy to support their families, but the money they make is rarely enough to cover expenses. Their children, who no longer attend school and who often go hungry, have to work in small-scale mines to supplement their family income. They are used as cheap labour in these mines, where prostitution, drugs, theft, and rape are common, putting the children and young people — both girls and boys — at risk.

Since 2005, the APEF organisation has carried out projects for vulnerable young people and children. Its aim is to put an end to their exploitation.

For young people, it has opened a vocational training centre for occupations in mechanics, carpentry, driving, cutting, and sewing, among others. After completing theoretical and practical courses (organized each three months), trainees are reintegrated into the community by first taking part in an income-generating activity programme, which will then allow them to earn a living independently.

For children, the organisation began by recruiting them in the mining sites, then encouraged them to attend a remedial school, which has three classes for different age groups. In the morning, the children study and play games. In the afternoon, they often spend part of their time on farming activities, which encourages them to help their parents farm instead of needing to return to the mines.

In 2013, fifteen children took the national primary school leaving exams, and all of them passed. This showed the community that even children who were always covered in dirt from working in the mines have intellectual abilities. It’s just that they didn’t have the chance to go to school before.

That same year, two hundred adolescents decided to take a training course and then go back to live in their communities. One hundred and twelve children decided to go back to school. They played together and shared a meal to strengthen their friendship and their spirit of solidarity. At the end of the year, when the school results were announced, all the children were proud of what they achieved together. Thanks to the children’s and young people’s success, APEF showed that everyone can hold their head high. With support and acceptance, everyone has the possibility to return to a normal life. For 2018, APEF invites and encourages other organisations in the region to reach out to people who have been forgotten.

Bringing someone who has been forgotten closer to society helps to build an integrated world.