This state of the art center was built by the Tenke Fungurume Mining Social Funds organization to assist young school dropouts gain access to vocational training. The state certified program works closely with the Ministry of Social Affairs and supports its participants in becoming self-sufficient, placing them among leaders and actors in their community and thereby promoting economic growth in the region. This is done through Human Development Clubs where participants earn an associate degree in their field of choice, learn entrepreneurship, good governance, human rights as well as subjects related to public health affecting their community. As leaders are identified in the Human Development Club, they are trained to become peer educators, working with their teachers, counselors and community mobilizers. The first “class” comprised 91 young girls and young men who received training in Tailoring and Cosmetology. A public Library is also available to all our beneficiaries as well as the members of the community.
HEAR CONGO launched its first agricultural program in Minova, North Kivu in 2014. The program began with fifty teen mothers who were trained by a female agronomist to grow more environmentally friendly crops, thereby providing better food (cabbage, carrots, beans, beets peppers, tomatoes, parsley, cucumbers and potatoes) in greater quantities for themselves and their children. They were also able to generate income by selling half of their crops. Unfortunately, military instability in Eastern Congo has forced this project to be temporarily suspended.
This organization comprising skilled Congolese helps teen mothers acquire life skills and develop leadership. With few resources, they were able to deliver new information to target audiences in camps, who 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 300 Teen Moms and their more than 500 children regain their dignity and social status through their programs. Hold DRC is an implementing partner of Hear Congo in DRC. The baby room at the center while their teen moms are training in Culinary Arts and sewing classes offered at HOLD-DRC in Goma, DRC.
One hundred twenty internally displaced families remained among the last to be resettled. HEAR Congo provided them with food, medicine, school tuition, supplies and uniforms for children. HEAR Congo also worked closely with the office of UN Higher Commission for Refugees to help these families resettle.
HEAL Africa Hospital was a safe heaven for women and girls who had survived sexual violence. HEAR CONGO provided surgical tools, medical instruments and medicine to the hospital.
HEAR Congo organized two medical missions to assist the vulnerable population in Bukavu. St-Vincent opened its door to the most vulnerable population, including survivors of sexual violence. Tree of Life International joined Hear Congo on one of these missions.
Mugunga III refugee camp, located about 15 kilometers outside the city of Goma, held some 20,000 internally displaced people for many, many years. Nearly all of the country’s humanitarian efforts were directed here. HEAR CONGO worked, as part of that effort, with Congolese and American health professionals to organize four humanitarian and medical mission trips. More than 200 families were provided with medicines, baby nutrition and vaccinations. In Shasha refugee camp, more than 50 pygmee families received similar assistance.