DR Congo: The Youth Ready approach saves and transforms Nora's life

By Didier Nagifi, Communications Officer

Nora, a 19-year-old seamstress, lives in Kimbanseke in the provincial city of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She is one of 53 unemployed young people who World Vision has supported after they lost hope of leading a life of happiness and peace like other children from good families.

Aged 16, Nora was raped. She became pregnant and the perpetrator fled. Faced with this situation, her parents were unable to bear Nora's early pregnancy; it was an ordeal for her.

"At the age of 16, I was raped and made fat by a boy from our neighbourhood who has never come forward. Meanwhile, my parents were unable to look after my pregnancy. I had a hard life and couldn't do anything about it, given my age", recalls Nora with a heart full of bitterness.

Despite the difficult times she went through, she gave birth to a boy who is now 3 years old.

"Finally, I gave birth to a boy and I thought that when I gave birth, I would be able to get help from people of goodwill, but unfortunately there was none. I wasn't eating well and I didn't have enough to produce breast milk for my baby. During all that time, I lost the will to live because hope was gone", explains Nora.

When her child turned two, she didn't know what to do. The only way she could ensure her child's survival was to prostitute herself, and that's how she lived.

As part of its response to the vulnerability of disaffected young people in this community, World Vision has put in place an approach called Youth Ready, which is a multi-sectoral approach adopted to help vulnerable young people in fragile and non-fragile contexts discover their potential, plan their future, acquire skills, support them with resources and develop their confidence to succeed in work and life. This approach builds on their action, voice, vision, resilience, positive relationships, and meaningful opportunities to take the next steps in their personal development plans and livelihoods.

World Vision has developed this approach to bring hope to young people who are unemployed, out of school, and disorientated. These young people learn moral and civic values that enable them to make responsible decisions for their future.

As a member of this community, World Vision identified Nora as one of the most vulnerable, unemployed young people who needed support to learn a vocation and develop an income-generating activity. After this guidance, Nora chose the cutting and sewing training supported by World Vision. She learned about her trade as a dressmaker and how to take care of herself through her sewing workshop. On completion of her training, World Vision provided her with a sewing machine so that she could develop an income-generating activity and become self-sufficient.

 Now I'm a seamstress after six months training in cutting and sewing, and I've been given a sewing machine that allows me to earn money to support myself and my child," says Nora.

"My current job has made me feel valued, independent, and autonomous, and has enabled me to have my workshop. To earn money, I no longer need to prostitute myself, because I have a job that suits me and I'm proud of it", she adds.

Now, Nora dreams of going back to school and becoming a teacher to train young girls in cutting and sewing. She also says she is happy because her new job has given her new hope.

"I would like to thank World Vision for its support in our community, which has personally given me hope for life and enabled me to take charge of myself and my child," says Nora, acknowledging World Vision's support.

Informal education in the area program of the Kimbanseke was a response that the community needed to combat the depravity of morals. Faced with the violence fuelled by young delinquents, the Youth Ready approach has enabled 53 young people, including 27 girls, to be socially reintegrated after learning vocations such as car mechanics, vehicle driving and cutting and sewing. The young people trained are now confident about their future.

Note: For reasons of dignity, Nora is not her real name.