Edutainment and Pycho-Social Support for the four Conflict-affected Congolese Minority Ethnic Groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo

My name is Alex Mahoro born of the Banyamulenge Ethnicity at the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC),Central Africa. https://youtu.be/EvQMxOyEP3o

The Banyamulenge are a minority group of the South Kivu population; known for their Christian ordinal cultures, Livestock keeping and agricultural activities.
We have since the 1970s https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banyamulenge suffered different forms of conflict and violence, such as :-
Political tensions (1971–1992)
Conflict (1993–1998)
Second Congo War (1998–2003)
Present Conflict (2012–2019)

Getting started effective 1st November 2019 is the target/wish with work in progress as funds come in.
Please support me extend assistance to my fellow community especially in the Minembwe Area (East-South of the DRC) who are afflicted and struggling because of the invasion of MAI MAI Troupes among other rebellions arising from different countries neighboring the DRC. Many are affected by the conflict - do not have food, clothes, blankets and at least 10000 houses destroyed. There is need for an emergency response towards fighting hunger/malnutrition, meeting other basic needs; and to prepare the afflicted for times as after emergency situations (development support processes) for self-sustainence.

Why the money is being raised?
The money raised serves as a start-up to kick start this programme intervention. We are primary targeting to support Households/Families in Minembwe Area (East-South of the DRC) headed by Widows and young people. These shall be identified based on the level of existent vulnerability issues.
Specifically also, the funds shall be used for:-

ACTIVITY A- Business Development (Training, Planning, start-ups and Follow-ups): The Mobile Vocational Training School shall facilitate reaching out to equip Family units with basic business skills (theory and practicals), in order to unite, motivate and empower households and neighbourhoods for sustainable socio-economic development. Households (3-5) shall be teamed up to form Protection Neighbohood Associations (PNAs) performing the role of a uniting factor in order to: (1) Instill a positive attitude towards productive work especially among young people-both in and out of school; (2) Contribute to positive change stories at household level e.g. Families able to pay school fees for their children, Households able to have three nutritious meals a day, Families able to increase their incomes at individual and household level following growing and developing businesses; and neighbourhoods united in protecting their children coupled with instilling in them life skills and expect child responsibilities.
Community members trained/supported shall be expected to provide the training venue at their respective household/neighbourhood premises and shall ensure the security and maintenance of the materials/equipment like ipads left in their custody.
NB: To ensure that the programme intervention: (1) is sustained in the long run, (2) is replicable and (3) is scale-able; business start-ups shall be issued with the anticipation that PNAs with successful businesses return 1% interest per month (thus qualifying as a soft loan). Here we are addressing the possible post-emergency era risk where handout syndrome has become a threat to sustainable development processes as they hinder community participation and ownership in development processes. The PNAs shall be united through Women-Led Cooperatives.

ACTIVITY B - Psychosocial Support and Copying Strategy in a Traumatic Setting: We need to provide households/Families with Ipads (mobile) having an e-library with relevant local content (also translated to French and Kiswahili); and an app installed in the Ipad to connect the different Protection Neighbohood Assemblies with counterparts (Congolese Banyamulenge, Babembe, Banyindu and Bafulero in other countries/areas like Rwanda, Burundi, DRC, Tanzania and Uganda) to share experiences, information, knowledge and lessons learnt.
Given the traumatic setting and as a therapy, Edutainment school and community outreaches on life skills coupled with Games and Sports shall also be incorporated into the Mobile Vocational Training School Project Activities.
NB. The expectation is that the Mobile Vocational Training School shall be a vehicle equipped with potable chairs, Solar (Clean) energy, Projector, Public & Music System, Digital Camera and Tent.

The Program Team also anticipates that with the developed appropriate referral pathway, Cases of Human Rights Violations and Abuse (e.g. issues on Child Protection, Women and Adolescent rights) shall be identified by the Protection Neighbohood Associations, reported and referred for appropriate response by relevant service provider.

Other relevant resources :-

https://www.worldvision.org/disaster-relief-news-stories/drc-conflict-facts

https://www.humanium.org/en/democratic-republic-congo/

https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/library/hear-our-voices-investing-conflict-affected-children-drc

https://www.wikigender.org/wiki/women-and-the-conflict-in-drc

https://mercycorps.org/articles/dr-congo/quick-facts-humanitarian-crisis-drc

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/democratic-republic-of-congo-country-of-concern/democratic-republic-of-congo-country-of-concern

https://www.acleddata.com/2019/07/25/fact-sheet-conflict-in-the-drc/

https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2016/mar/22/conflict-war-zone-business-buying-sourcing

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/edutainment

https://papyrus-project.org/what-is-psychosocial-support/