DRC: Equip a vocational training center for girls

In South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, too many girls and young women are growing up without the education or vocational skills they need to build secure and independent lives. Poverty, gender inequality, early school dropout, family responsibilities, and limited economic opportunities continue to place women at greater risk of dependency, exploitation, and violence. Through the project “Equip a Vocational Training Center for Girls,” OGDH-RDC ASBL is working to create a practical pathway from vulnerability to opportunity by establishing a vocational training center where 60 out-of-school girls and women each year can learn marketable skills such as tailoring, soap making, food processing, and masonry, alongside leadership, gender awareness, and basic business management.

The project is currently in its preparation and resource-mobilization phase. OGDH-RDC ASBL is identifying qualified trainers and potential learners and preparing the conditions needed for the training center to operate effectively. The project has a total funding target of US$35,000, and so far US$2 has been raised through the collaboration with GlobalGiving. While this is only the beginning, every contribution is a meaningful step toward helping us reach the full goal and turn this initiative into a lasting opportunity for women and girls in South Kivu. We are committed to using donor support responsibly and transparently, with funds primarily supporting the equipment of the training center, training activities, essential materials, and the practical conditions required for learners to acquire useful skills.

The change we hope to create goes far beyond vocational training. A girl who learns a trade can become a woman who earns an income, supports her family, makes decisions about her future, and becomes an example for other girls in her community. Through cooperative organization and community awareness activities, participants will also be encouraged to become active contributors to local development and to challenge the social norms that limit women's opportunities. We sincerely thank GlobalGiving for creating a platform that connects our local efforts with donors around the world. We also extend our heartfelt appreciation to the donors who have already supported this vision. We now invite individuals, organizations, foundations, and partners everywhere to join us. Your support can help equip a classroom, provide training materials, support a learner, and ultimately give a vulnerable girl the opportunity to build a dignified and independent future. Together, we can help transform skills into livelihoods, hope into action, and women into powerful drivers of change in their communities.