Our Projects
SEE WHAT WE DO, AND HOW YOU CAN JOIN
Kinshasa, the capital
Women of Kimbaseke, Educate women to educate others
Their powerful story: From 40 peer educators to 22,000 health-educated citizens
Education is key to liberation. Educating a nation’s female population is essential to its economic growth. This is what we are doing for women in Kimbaseke, started with only 40. After completing a literacy and numeracy program, a door of endless possibilities was opened for them. We train them as peer educators who teach their communities about relevant issues which they identify themselves. They began Human Developement clubs where they come together and strengthen their entrepreneurship skills to lead successful businesses and train others.
With incomprehensible resolve, 40 women ranging in age from 16 to 56 years old and from grandmothers to teen mothers, determined to educate the entire population of one of the poorest and most populated neighborhoods in the capital, Kinshasa. They reached every household, teaching about prevention of HIV and malaria, early detection of breast cancer, and protection from domestic violence. teen mothers (who live in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Kinshasa, DRC capital, it is one of the forgotten neighborhoods) The women reached the entire population of Kimbaseke, and educated every household about prevention of HIV and malaria, early detection of breast cancer, and protection from domestic violence. After graduating from a literacy program provided by HEAR Congo's partner, Alfacongo, these 40 women were trained to be peer educators and community leaders who, within two months and with the assistance of a host of experts from the UN, World Vision and The Red Cross, brought their knowledge to 3932 households, four schools and four churches. Another 40 peer educators, drawn from Human Development Clubs (which have 10 members in each group), began a Women’s Entrepreneurship Network. Another group of 40 trained 120 more women, bringing the total number of peer educators and community leaders working in the Kimbaseke neighborhood in Kinshasa to 160 and Human Development Clubs to sixteen.
Tenke, Lualaba Province, South-Eastern Congo
Centre De Promotion Sociale Tenke
This state of the art center is situated in Tenke, a city about 3 hours away from Congo’s second largest city Lubumbashi. The center was built by our partnerTenkeFungurume Mining Community Social Fund organization to assist young school dropouts gain access to vocational training. HEAR Congo manages the center and runs a state certified education program in different professional fields. This projectsupports its participants in becoming self-sufficient, placing them among leaders and actors in their community and thereby promoting economic growth in the region. Since 2016, 300 participants have been registered in our program.
Our ongoing training at the Centre de Promotion SocialeTenke provides the following:
- Literacy program
- A state certified associated degree in Sewing and designing, cosmetology, welding, masonry and fitting
- Computer classes
- Training in leadership skills, governance and peer education in relevant subjects to the community such as health, conflict resolution and human rights
- Saving Clubs where they learn how to sustain themselves, grow their businesses and establish credibility.
- Training in reproductive health, nutrition, early childhood development and parenting skills.
- They learn good housekeeping and basic hygiene as well as how to prevent diseases and other common causes of death in DR Congo.
- An advocacy network and support system
Minova, North-Kivu Eastern Congo
Growing food and generating income
HEAR CONGO launched its first agricultural program in Minova, North Kivu in 2014. The program began with fifty teen mothers who were taught literacy and numeracy. They trained to grow more environmentally friendly crops and learned practices to help them grow better food. They are able to provide food for their families and generate greater income. Because of its success, this agricultural project model will be expanded to other locations where HEAR Congo carries out its work.
Goma, North-Kivu Eastern Congo
Hold DRC
This organization comprising skilled Congolese helps teen mothers acquire life skills and develop leadership in their community. With few resources, the organization was able to deliver expanded information to target audiences starting in refugee camps. The well-educatedbeneficiaries will then return to their villages with increased knowledge about health and rights. It was the first initiative of its kind. Since 2012, HOLD DRC has assisted more than 500 Teen Moms and their more than 800 children regain their dignity and social status through their programs. An Early Child Development program is run at the center while the teen moms are training in Literacy and Numeracy, Culinary Arts, Cosmetology and Sewing classes offered at HOLD-DRC in Goma, DRC. Through resources and technical support, HOLD DRC serves as a project implementing partner of Hear Congo in DRC.
Goma, Lubumbashi, Bukavu
Medical missions and humanitarian emergency initiatives
2008-2012: 2550 lives impacted
From 2008-2012, we conducted medical and emergency missions to war affected regions in Eastern and South Eastern Congo. Women and children bore the worse brunt of the violence. With a team of healthcare professionals, we focused our efforts on supporting local medical initiatives by providing medicine, baby nutrition, vaccination, medical equipment and instruments at HEAL Africa, a safe heaven for rape survivors. In South-Kivu, at St-Vincent Hospital, vulnerable women, rape survivors and many members of the community benefited from our medical missions.
We also provided medical treatment in refugee camps in North-Kivu, Mugunga and Shasha.
In Lubumbashi,the second largest city in DR Congo, we enabled women at the Kenya displacement camp,to found savings groups and opene small businesses selling clothing and baked goods,and making brooms and other wares. The results of their enterprises have enabled more than 70% of them to cover school tuition for their children.
