RDC 01 - RIGHT TO RESIST
Project Location
The project will be implemented in the city of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Africa, with an area of 9,965 km2. With an estimated population of over 17 million in its metropolitan area in 2021, it is the third largest urban area in Africa after Cairo and Lagos, and is one of the most populous cities in the world. The economic, political and cultural heart of the country, Kinshasa is a city of contrasts, where high-end residential and commercial sectors, universities, military camps and slums coexist.
It is a transport hub for Central Africa and is home to the country's main institutional buildings, such as the People's Palace, the Martyrs' Stadium and the Palace of the Nation. It is a cosmopolitan city, which welcomes many foreigners, and where Lingala, Kikongo, Swahili and Tshiluba are the main languages of the inhabitants along with French, which is the official language.
It is undoubtedly recognized almost everywhere that the Democratic Republic of Congo is going through a difficult and delicate situation in its history. A potentially rich country, where almost 80 million of its inhabitants live in deplorable poverty ($ 1.25 per day per person). Endless wars and devastating diseases weigh heavily on the population, on the families who do not arrive and cannot raise their heads, to get up and become autonomous with the work of their own hands.
By carrying out a social analysis to identify some problems to awaken a conscience to the people, especially in the capital of Kinshasa, some problems have been identified, more urgent. Corruption, Trafficking, Environment. The consequences of these problems are fear, poverty and diseases.
The causes are due to a lack of civic, moral and spiritual education. People live day by day, there are no public structures that can help people; there is no work and they try to do small businesses. But the majority of women, girls and even children are offered easy work to earn money and especially abroad, where they fall into the traps of sexual exploitation and other types of trafficking. This phenomenon is very current and unfortunately unknown. Corruption is the order of the day, in all environments. They only try to earn money but not for people but for themselves. Everyone thinks of themselves.
Caring for the environment requires urgent training. It is another lifestyle that is seen in cities, different from villages. In the city of Kinshasa, almost no one is educated to respect the environment. You find garbage and plastic everywhere. There is a lot of smog and health is greatly affected.
To survive, many young people steal or get involved in drugs, dealing and organ trafficking. Violence has increased, tolerance is no longer a value that inhabits the Congolese citizen.
Project description
The description of the city of Kinshasa helps us understand the urgency and need to raise awareness among students, young people, families, and civil society as a whole about the phenomenon of trafficking and the need for a healthier environment to prevent numerous diseases, including the risk of cholera.
The activities include a series of awareness-raising and prevention meetings on trafficking and environmental issues in schools, religious institutions, and various Catholic associations, in collaboration with other organizations and NGOs such as the UNHCR. The activities also include workshops, courses on how to care for victims of trafficking, and awareness-raising marches. Environmental awareness activities will be designed based on the response from the recipients themselves. Special radio broadcasts on Radio Maria are planned for both topics.
The project will increase the population's awareness of their responsibilities in the face of poverty, corruption in the country, the phenomenon of trafficking, and environmental issues. We hope this responsibility will lead to social change, recognizing the spiritual dimension as important to life choices.
Objective
- Start a process of changing mentality and awareness of people's human rights and the urgency of caring for the environment.
Beneficiaries
Direct: 200 parish groups, 30 religious institutes and 3.000 students
Indirect: students, civil society
Referent sister of the project: sr Loredana Dalla Libera
Project's costs