North Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, is a region long marked by insecurity and economic precariousness. Faced with this situation, Caritas Butembo-Beni decided to take matters into its own hands by launching a vocational and trades training center in the commune of Mangina. The objective is to offer unemployed young people a chance to train in various fields such as cutting and sewing, plumbing, motorcycle and automobile mechanics, baking, shoemaking and the processing of agricultural products.
This project, financed by the government, responds to a double challenge: on the one hand, it makes it possible to offer training opportunities to young people who often find themselves without employment prospects, and on the other hand, it contributes to the fight against urban crime by keeping these young people busy and giving them the means to self-finance.
The bishop of the diocese of Butembo-Beni, Mgr Sikuli Paluku Melchésedech, explains that this project is part of the President of the Republic’s desire to support initiatives with visible impact in each diocese. Aware of the insecurity situation in the region and the risk of recruitment of young people by criminal groups, Caritas Butembo-Beni therefore decided to create this training center to offer young people a positive alternative.
Local civil society welcomes this initiative and recognizes the benefits it can bring to the community. By training young people in technical professions, the center will not only reduce youth unemployment, but also strengthen the local economic fabric and promote the development of the region.
Mangina, once renowned as an important breadbasket in the Beni region, was hit hard by the crisis linked to the Ebola epidemic and attacks by armed groups. Agricultural activities have been seriously affected, leading to a fall in food production and leaving many young people jobless. The vocational training and trades center therefore fills this void by offering young people the opportunity to train and find a means of subsistence.
In conclusion, the head of Mangina civil society, Kakule Vunyatsi Muongozi, says that this project is a concrete response to the challenges facing the community. It will allow young people to engage in rewarding activities, become financially independent and thus contribute to the stability and development of the region.
This vocational and trades training center is a good example of a local initiative which aims to improve the socio-economic situation of young people and to fight crime. It shows that it is possible to provide concrete solutions to the problems facing our communities by investing in education and professional training.