Democratic Republic of Congo

Job Skills Training 2011View Slideshow

Inside the GatesView Slideshow

WfWI-DRC participants attend bi-monthly training sessions in life skills and rights, business and skills at the training center in Bukavu. See our program in action by browsing the photos.

• Inside the Gates
  The gates of the training center in Bakavu, DR Congo
• Inside the Gates
  The women on the other side of the gates greet Zainab Salbi.
• Inside the Gates
  Women particpating in a literacy training class.
• Inside the Gates
  Women learn to knit in the training centers to generate income.
• Inside the Gates
  After ceramics training, women make planters and braziers in the studio.
• Inside the Gates
  Instead of car tires, ceramic braziers made by the participants allow heat to be retained, requiring less charcoal to heat their food.
• Inside the Gates
  A WfWI-DRC staff member conducts a baseline interview to collect key socio-economic data.
• Inside the Gates
  A trainer teaches participants about the rings of influence they have on themselves, their families, their communities and their countries.

Program Participants 2009View Slideshow

Images from 2009 captured during field visits by WfWI staff members.

• DRC Gallery 2009
  Program participants in the Congo pay careful attention during a literacy training course.
• DRC Gallery 2009
  A WfWI-DRC participant practices writing during literacy training.
• DRC Gallery 2009
  French is the official language of Congo – other languages that are spoken are Munukutuba, Kongo, Lingala, Teke, Mbosi.
• DRC Gallery 2009
  A woman taking care of two infants; women in DRC will frequently care for their own children and other children from the village.
• DRC Gallery 2009
  Women carefully sew household items to in sold on local markets.
• DRC Gallery 2009
  Women proudly display their voter registration cards.
• DRC Gallery 2009
  One form of expression, be it pride, grief, or joy, in Congo is through song. Women in our program sing often and usually together.
• DRC Gallery 2009
  Women will occasionally bring their children with them to training sessions.
• DRC Gallery 2009
  A makeshift shelter in an IDP camp in eastern DRC. These shelters can house several family members.
• DRC Gallery 2009
  Women concentrating during classes in the Congo – they will learn basic literacy, health and rights awareness.
• DRC Gallery 2009
  Participants preparing dough during a bakery skills training session.
• DRC Gallery 2009
  Participants preparing clay during a ceramic production training session.
• DRC Gallery 2009
  Preparing rolls to be baked in the oven.
• DRC Gallery 2009
  These women proudly display their tie-dye work which can be used for fabrics to make clothing or for sale in local markets or shipped overseas to American markets.
• DRC Gallery 2009
  Participants wearing safety masks while preparing the dye to be used for tie-dye fabrics.
• DRC Gallery 2009
  WfWI-DRC participants cutting soap during a skills training class that is sold in local market.
• DRC Gallery 2009
  Women proudly display hand-made soap embossed with the WfWI logo.
• DRC Gallery 2009
  Image from outside the training center in Walungu.
• DRC Gallery 2009
  A WfWI-DRC participant holding her child.
• DRC Gallery 2009
  A sixth of the world's young people live on less than $2 a day, including 122 million girls in Sub-Saharan Africa living on less than $1 a day.(UN Development Programme)

Sisters and SponsorsView Slideshow

Images of women and the letters received from their sponsors.

• Sisters and Sponsors
  A participant in the DRC program displays a letter she has received from her sponsor
• Sisters and Sponsors
  A woman stands with her family outside of her house with her sponsor's letter
• Sisters and Sponsors
  Women in the program wait to see if they have received notification of their sponsorship
• Sisters and Sponsors
  One woman reads her letter while her friends look over her shoulders
• Sisters and Sponsors
  Sponsor letters are translated for each participant.
• Sisters and Sponsors
  A participant proudly displays her sponsor's letter and image.
• Sisters and Sponsors
  A WfWI-DRC participant holds her literacy workbook.
• Sisters and Sponsors
  Honorata – her story is one of amazing triumph and has been featured on the Oprah Show and in the O Magazine

Program TrainingView Slideshow

During WfWI’s program, participants are provided with life skills and rights, and vocational training. Below are images of participants practicing what they have learned during training.

• Class and Program Training
  Participants await the beginning of class in the Democratic Republic of the Congo program
• Class and Program Training
  Participants displaying tie-dyed fabrics that can be sold in local markets. Tie-dying fabric is an income generation activity that is frequently learned by WfWI-DRC participants.
• Class and Program Training
  Participants wearing safety masks while preparing tie-dyed fabric.
• Class and Program Training
  A WfWI-DRC participant who used her sponsorship funds to open this kiosk to sell household goods.
• Class and Program Training
  Participants working together to spread out a large piece of tie-dyed fabric that will be cut into smaller pieces.
• Class and Program Training
  Participants gather in the courtyard at a WfWI-DRC training center.
• Class and Program Training
  Participants sewing fabrics during a training class in tailoring.
• Class and Program Training
  Chalkboard displaying the dimensions of various products that participants will produce during ceramics training.
• Class and Program Training
  Trainer explaining a sewing technique to a student
• Class and Program Training
  Two women knit blankets and bags that they will sell in the market
• Class and Program Training
  A woman sews a garment from blue material
• Class and Program Training
  Three women carefully die fabric into traditional patterns
• Class and Program Training
  Participants in the tie dying group cooperate to produce beautiful fabrics
• Class and Program Training
  Tiles made by WfWI-DRC participants during ceramics training.
• Class and Program Training
  The kiln used to at the Panzi ceramics training facility.
• Class and Program Training
  Participants display their clay pots and cooking stoves made during training.
• Class and Program Training
  Men attending a health training class. Men are encouraged to join training classes when appropriate.
• Class and Program Training
  Participants proudly display their voter registration cards.

Ashley Judd's TripView Slideshow

During her 2008 trip to Rwanda and DRC, Ashley Judd who is herself a sponsor believed it was important to meet and spend time with her sisters. Below are some images from her heartfelt trip.

• Ashley Judd's Trip
  Ashley Judd poses with women of the Democratic Republic of the Congo program. Mrs. Judd sponsors a sister in the program and made a trip down in the Spring of 2008 to visit her.
• Ashley Judd's Trip
  Ashley is welcomed with singing and dancing by WfWI-DRC participants.
• Ashley Judd's Trip
  Ashley meeting a participant's child.
• Ashley Judd's Trip
  Ashley Judd listens intently as participants share their stories.
• Ashley Judd's Trip
  Ashley waving good-bye as she departs from WfWI-DRC.