In Kinshasa, Peace Clubs Take Root: Results of YWCA-DRC’s strategic reinforcement

Kinshasa, May 2025, The Young Women’s Christian Association of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (YWCA-DRC) has just completed a series of training sessions in six schools across the nation’s capital, Kinshasa, with a clear objective: to strengthen civic engagement and foster a culture of peace among youth aged 15 to 25.

These workshops not only raised awareness about conflict management and gender-based violence (GBV), but also led to tangible results on the ground.

At the Institut Technique Agricole de Mombele and Lycée Sainte Germaine, students stood out for their enthusiasm and active participation. Discussions on the “Do No Harm” approach and analysis of community dividers and connectors helped raise awareness of the often invisible mechanisms of social division.

At Collège Marzello Zago and Complexe scolaire Giovani Santolini, students demonstrated remarkable analytical skills, particularly during the mapping exercise on tribal perceptions. The clubs managed to create a safe and respectful space for dialogue around social representations an important step toward dismantling ethnic stereotypes. School authorities were also praised for their engagement.

Narcia Musoki’s sessions on gender-based violence left a lasting impression. Using a participatory method with image boxes and open discussions, students gained a clearer understanding of their legal rights—particularly through the simplification of Article 170 of the 2006 law on sexual violence.

This session helped break taboos by including young boys in the conversation and equipping all participants with tools to respond to abuse—an important shift in a school environment where such issues are often ignored.

One of the expected outcomes was that clubs would be able to report unresolved conflicts, produce regular activity reports, and continue peace-building efforts independently. While this remains a work in progress, several clubs have already expressed a desire to organize follow-up sessions and revive regular meetings.

These results show that youth are eager to get involved, but need more structured support to sustain their actions,” said David Kiseke, one of the program’s lead trainers.

YWCA-DRC is already planning a reinforced follow-up phase in the coming months, with the implementation of simple tools for reporting and intergenerational knowledge transfer within the clubs. The real challenge now is to move from a one-time project to a lasting culture of peace in schools.