Discover, in pictures, the actions undertaken by the women of Sud-Kivu, with the support of Freres des Hommes and Apef, from economic independence to civic and social emancipation. Next ...

The first obstacle women who hope to develop a small business face is financial : the exorbitant interest rates applied by moneylenders prevent these women from making enough profit to live descently. Therefore, Apef offers them microloans. The first step consists in training these future entrepreneurs in the management of their credits, so that they can acquire the necessary knowledge: notions about credits and savings, marketing techniques, how to calculate cost prices, retail prices, (...) Next ...

Mwana, who was granted microcredit to develop a cement business « I sell cement that I store in a container on my mother-in-law’s plot of land. I started with other commercial activities: selling doughnuts, embroideries and children’s vests. Then I gave everything up to deal exclusively with my cement trade. Thanks to Apef, I got credit to increase my capital and add 30 sacks of cement to my 50-sack inventory. A lot of my suppliers are in Bukavu but I also buy directly from Uganda. I make 125 (...) Next ...

Legitimate groups acting for the people Apef works with 85 different women’s associations and 120 rural groups. After each formal training session or meeting, the participants pass on skill they have acquired to the other members of their association or group; in this way everyone benefits from Apef’s actions – 1250 women in Bukavu and 9500 rural members. Apef trains the members of these associations to promote active participation in the life of the community or village. Six two-day (...) Next ...

10 years of conflict and violence Destabilized by the Rwandan genocide of 1994 and the following exodus, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), formerly Zaire, has lived through 10 years of war and anarchy. The eastern part of the country, especially Southern Kivu, has been through violent confrontations, during which civilian populations were systematically targeted. Such violence has disorganized economic and social life, leading to rural depopulation and settlement in towns, lack of (...) Next ...