The resurgence of war in the North Kivu province has made women more vulnerable, affecting them financially, socially, and physically. Under normal circumstances, Congolese women are central to the family economy, but displacement caused by war has taken away their means of livelihood.

Armed conflicts have turned women and young girls into victims, exposing them to gender-based violence, exploitation, abuse, and sexual harassment. “It is crucial to provide them with alternative means of livelihood to protect them,” stated Francesca Feruzi, project manager at HEAL Africa.

HEAL Africa has established Safe Houses for survivors of sexual violence and at-risk girls, providing them with medical care, psychosocial support, legal and judicial assistance, as well as socioeconomic reintegration.

The S3G project (Stability – Gender and Community Guarantee – Single Window – Supply Chain Management for Essential Medicines for Sexual and Reproductive Health) has enabled around thirty women and girls affected by war to learn sewing, esthetic hairdressing, and pastry making with support from Cordaid, a partner of HEAL Africa.

The project aims to provide the trained beneficiaries with the means to start their own income-generating activities. These initiatives wish to empower women by offering them professional skills that strengthen their resilience in the face of the fallout of armed conflicts in the eastern part of the DRC.