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Day 7

One day of studying agricultural sciences for one person in the DR Congo

Creating perspectives in crisis areas Creating perspectives in crisis areas

One day of studying agricultural sciences for one person in the DR Congo
Day 7
Food shortages and poverty in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Militias, poverty and hunger characterise life in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. But Denise (20), a committed Congolese, did not want to accept these conditions any longer. So in 2010 she applied for a scholarship to study agricultural sciences in the town of Mweso. With the help of the knowledge she gained from her studies, she planned to set up a tomato farm where she would explain cultivation to other people in her community and demonstrate it in practice. Denise now has a large tomato field and also raises cows and goats. She passes on her specialist knowledge to interested parties, whom she teaches in her field. Due to an excellent degree, she also teaches at the institute where she once studied. Denise was able to finance her studies with a scholarship she received 6 years ago. This enabled her to acquire knowledge that had been lost in the region due to decades of civil war. Today, she uses this knowledge to combat malnutrition and poverty in her home region.

Food shortages and poverty in the Democratic Republic of Congo
need
Agricultural education for the population of the North Kivu region in the DR Congo.
activity
Financing of tuition and examination fees for an agricultural science degree at the institute in Mweso and non-material support for the scholarship holders
Measurable performance
Number of newly admitted scholarship holders who study, implement a social project and pass on their acquired knowledge to the population.
Result
After completing their studies, the scholarship holders produce more food and feel more able to contribute to positive change in the region
Systemically relevant impact
Increasing agronomic knowledge, food supply and economic situation in Masisi and thus increasing stability in the region.
background

The DR Congo has been a country that has been plagued by conflict for decades. The end of Belgian colonial rule was followed by the 30-year dictatorship of Joseph-Désiré Mobutu. When his regime collapsed, decades of conflict followed, especially in the east of the country. The conflicts are ethnic, economic and power-political in nature, among other things. The new government in Kinshasa under Joseph Kabila and one of the largest UN peacekeeping missions have failed to bring peace to the region. The DR Congo ranks fifth on the Fragile State Index, ahead of countries such as Syria and Iraq (The Fund for Peace, 2015).

The civilian population is severely affected by the conflicts. In addition to physical insecurity and the psychological consequences of the war, food shortages and poor transport and educational infrastructure affect the everyday life and future prospects of the population. Women are particularly affected (Gender Inequality Index 149 out of 155). The lack of higher education is a major obstacle to the country's development. Only about 13% of women and 32% of men have attended secondary school (UNDP, 2015).

Mweso, Masisi, North Kivu
Day 7 Day 7
The good deed

In cooperation with the Congolese organization CADEP, Study Without Borders awards scholarships to committed and needy Congolese. The course is completed at the ISEA agricultural institute in Mweso. During their studies, the students develop social projects. These range from empowering rape victims to teaching seminars on growing vegetables, raising chickens to combat protein deficiency, and establishing a eucalyptus culture to combat soil erosion and deforestation. The scholarship holders thus initiate social change in their region. This is intended to support peaceful reconstruction and create prospects away from the war economy. A gender quota promotes equal rights for women in the education sector.

AboutDemocratic Republic of Congo
Kinshasa
Kinshasa
Capital city
77 266 800
77 266 800
Population
470 USD
470 USD
Gross domestic product per capita per year
176
176
Human Development Index (Human Development Index)

The DR Congo is the second largest country in Africa (6.6 x Germany). There are about 200 different ethnic groups in Congo. The country is known for its tropical rainforest, lakes and volcanoes.
About the organization and further information

organization

Studying Without Borders Berlin

website

www.studieren-ohne-border.org/projekte/dr-kongo-mweso/stipendienprogramm/

Initiative for Transparent Civil Society

Further links