By Jean Pascal Mugaruka | Provincial Coordibnator
Brief Report of the Refugee Tailoring Project in Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo
This Project enters in the ambition we developed in 2021 to promote the effective protection of refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is unique and the first one of this king focusing on refugees in Goma.
Goma and its surroundings could host more than 30,000 refugees from Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda, among others. Only about 6,000 are registered by UNHCR and CNR and as per now UNHCR only speaks for the 6,000 refugees, among them only 2,500 have a refugee Identification Document (which is the very requirement in order to receive relief aid from UNHCR), but still only about 200 have access to a certain form of humanitarian relief aid such as basic medical treatment, school fees for primary education for their children and house rent to a very limited number. The rest live on their own, which exposes them to the state of vulnerability.
Women and young girls are particularly vulnerable and highly exposed to all forms of sexual abuses, in order to survive. During our weekly meeting they indicated to us that the main cause of sexual exploitation and sexual violence was the lack of where to live, what to eat, and the lack of documents.
We therefore started giving them papers that show that they are refugees and we are continuing to propose a solution to this problem, we have also initiated the Refugee Tailoring Project which aims at offering them a skill and helping them to work and earn some money for their basic needs.
The Tailoring Project is going on through the contributions from our members, however due to the threats of war which came closer to Goma, we had to stop the project, but now as the war seems to have stopped we intend to restart again very when the funds are available. This project received a small grant in December 2022 as you can see in this picture which brought some machines.
Challenges
In February 2023 unknown people broke into our Tailoring Center and stole all our equipment, and destroyed the center. It is now our efforts again to start mobilizing resources in order to buy the necessary equipment and then restart again.
Currently we intend to start two training centers, one in Mugunga North side of Goma, and the other in Byahi in the east part of Goma. This is because of the high demand from the learners in these two places.
Learners
We plan to have 20 learners in each center for a period of six months, among them 70% will be refugees essentially women and 30% will be Congolese from the host communities mainly women also.
After the training
Two things are planned in case the funds are available: To start a Business Center in Goma for those who have finished the training where they can do Tailoring from and produce things to sell, and then provide a Machine to each learner and some money for the house rent of where to start from.
Flowing up
We shall have a team on ground to visit regularly all those we have supported, and then put in place monthly meeting for them in order to exchange ideas and to come up with other initiatives that can help them to move forward in order to solve completely their economic challenges.
Thank you so much
Jean Pascal Mugaruka
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