The Association des femmes pour la Promotion et le Développement Endogène is a Congolese feminine organization located at Kivu street 09, Nyamianda quarter, Uvira city, South Kivu Province in DR CONGO. The mission of the organization is to encourage and support the autonomous and independent efforts of Congolese women in the promotion and protection of their human rights whilst also improving their social, health and economic situation.

The organization was created by the militants’ women at KILIBA on October 16th 1999 with the hope of helping women, young girls and children that are victims of war and sexual violence. 

 

The main goals of the organization are:

• To combat all forms of violence against women, young girls and children;
• To support the commitment and undertaking of self promotion initiatives by women;
• To generate public awareness on the gender and development dichotomy, and advocate for
• the political participation of women in all levels of society
• To challenge traditional practices and stereotypes which harm women, young girls and
• children by marginalizing and restricting their access to resources and various sectors of society;
• To promote maternal health and fight HIV AIDS.

For that, AFPDE is realizing activities in the following areas:

• Women’s capacity building in human rights;
• micro loans, HIV AIDS and agriculture practices;
• Medical and psychological care for women and girls victims of sexual violence;
• Micro credit in favor of women;
• Awareness campaigns/workshops for young girls on human rights and HIV /AIDS;
• Gender sensitive training programs in cooperation with the military and the police with a focus on the impact of gender based violence on women and young girls and the importanceof upholding women’s human rights.
• The schooling of orphan children and children from rape;

To realize these activities and extend its’ reach, the organization is decentralized and relies on organized groups of women (feminine groupings), subsections that work in a number of different areas. These subsections are in charge of identifying needs in their villages and ask AFPDE to intervene to meet these needs. The subsections are comprised of female members that participate in all the required steps to realize a project (elaboration, follow up, management and evaluation).
 

Currently AFPDE is carrying out several activities that focus on the empowerment of women and the promotion of women’s human rights.

AFPDE has identified several key areas that demand additional attention and necessitate a rapid response. These include:

• medical and psychological care for girls and women that were victims of sexual violence;
• the promotion of Maternal health care;
• micro credit loans to stimulate income generating activities for women;
• the strengthening the prevention of HIV/AIDS and MALARIA;
• the promotion of women’s human rights and political participation and leadership;
• facilitating and ensuring women and children’s access and right to education;
• sustainable agriculture; lastly the promotion of ITC.

Challenges

AFPDE is faced with a number of challenges when trying to implement projects:

Women’s Medical and psychological care:
To assist women and young girls victims of sexual violence, we are obliged to bring victims to Panzi hospital in Bukavu at about 130 kms. It’s
so far from here. Having a clinic closer by with doctors, nurses and assistance would make it easier for the organization to take care of the girls and women victims of sexual violence locally with having to travel to Bukavu

- Transportation/mobility problems:
The area that we cover is very large. A basic mean of transportation such as a car, would facilitate our work with people living rural areas by
improving the assistance we are providing them.

- Internet problems: Here in Uvira city, there is only one Internet café for 190.000 habitants of Uvira. This cyber café often has technical problem and is unreliable. This further complicates our work and we are sometimes obliged to go to Bujumbura for Internet.

- Orphan children problems: There are many orphan children in our city all in need of assistance. They need homes and shetler where they can live. Furthermore they are in need of medical attention and must be ensured access to education. Due to the number of orphan children and our limited resources we are unable to help everyone.

- The Needs of Women: The women have trouble accessing income generating activities. At AFPDE, the lack of financial means doesn’t allow the organization to give loans to women in order to permit them to realize their activities.

 

 

 To find out more about the AFPDE and , you can contact :

Mrs Chantal BINWA, Cordinator
AV. Kivu n° 14, Nyamianda, Uvira, Sud Kivu, RD CONGO
PO Box : 7488 BUJUMBURA BURUNDI
Email : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Tel : +243994020783
You can also visit our web site under construction : www.afpde.org