In Nzulo, in the territory of Masisi, a hopeful initiative is emerging to break the vicious circle of gender-based violence. Fifty-five women recently received intensive training in business skills and income-generating activities management, followed by a start-up fund allocation for their entrepreneurial activities. This approach aims to make them financially independent, thereby reducing their vulnerability to sexual violence, abuse, and exploitation.

This action is part of a larger project for the prevention and multisectoral emergency response to the needs of survivors of GBV (Gender-Based Violence), and protection against exploitation and sexual abuse in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, carried out by HEAL Africa, with the support of the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and UNFPA.

The main objective is to contribute to reducing incidents of GBV/SEA (Sexual Exploitation and Abuse) in the intervention areas by providing coordinated integrated multisectoral assistance (medical, psychosocial, legal/judicial, and socio-economic reintegration and/or educational). In addition to the initial training, vocational training is planned, covering areas such as soap making, pastry making, culinary art, and sewing. This initiative aims to equip these women with the necessary skills to excel in their respective activities.

Taking action in a context of vulnerability

These actions are taking place in a context of great vulnerability for women in the region. Decades of armed conflicts in eastern DRC have left deep scars, with over 1.3 million people displaced in the province of North Kivu alone. Women, who are responsible for households and families, are particularly exposed to the risks of GBV and SEA, as illustrated by this poignant account from a victim of assault: “I was a victim of an act of barbarism while I was looking for wood for cooking in the bush around the camp,” bitterly recalled one beneficiary woman.

Faced with this reality, women’s economic empowerment appears as an essential rampart. By providing financial support and vocational training, HEAL Africa, with the support of its partners, offers a glimmer of hope and a path to stability for the vulnerable women of Nzulo.