This project will provide small loans and free business training for vulnerable women in North Kivu, DR Congo. These women are unable to ensure they have a steady income because of the violent wars that plagues the country. The aim of the project is to lift the women and their communities out of extreme poverty by giving them the finance, skills and confidence to increase and stabilise their livelihoods.
For girls and women, the DR Congo is one of the most dangerous places in the world. Local communities have been devastated by prolonged and widespread violent conflict. Five million people have died in this war. Because livelihoods are so hard to establish or sustain amid the conflict, unemployment stands at 73%. Without opportunities for women to provide for their families and communities, the cycle of poverty and conflict won't stop.
This project will help women in North Kivu to build sustainable livelihoods through microfinance. The scheme provides them with small loans to grow their existing businesses, helping them to build homes and send their children to school. Counselling sessions will enable them to recover from the trauma they have experienced. The women will also receive support in running their businesses through financial, marketing, planning and management training and they will learn how they can build peace.
Because many of these women are the heads of their households, this project is vital to lift their families and wider communities out of extreme poverty. If we can help these women to build a livelihood, we will not only improve the conditions in which they live, but we will also enable them to stabilise their communities. By supporting women to become financially independent and empowering them to build a peaceful society, we can secure brighter futures for generations to come.
