Community Child Protection

The conflict in DRC has left the country severely impoverished. This has been aggravated by the most fatal conflict the world has seen since the second world war.

In January 2006 the Lancet reported that 1,250 people were dying every day because of the war's devastating effects on DRC's health infrastructure.

Health and education have been damaged meaning many people are left unable to make a living. For children growing up in this environment life is particularly difficult. There are few opportunites and those that are available are inaccessible to the thousands of children who must support their family or have been actively rejected by their communities for alleged "witchcraft" or involvement with militias.

War Child's consultation with children and adults in northern DRC identified concerns about provision of healthcare and education for the whole community but children were seen as particularly at risk. The threat was seen as greatest for children returning from fighting forces, children living and working on the streets and girl mothers.

In response War Child is starting work on a project that will help these children support themselves and encourage better relationships with their communities.

We will provide training and education in livelihoods, numeracy and health to children who are the principal providers for their dependents - younger siblings, children of their own and grandparents.

Alongside this we will strengthen child to child networks that will improve children's safety and security. By sharing knowledge with one another children are more able to avoid risk and begin to protect themselves.

The involvement of the local community is vital in this process. Local artisans will meet with children to help them learn new skills while community support networks monitor progress of the project. War Child's training of adults in the community ensures children's safety, encourages greater understanding of the problems facing them and guarantees benefits to children beyond those we work with directly.

In keeping with the risks identified by the community at least 35% of the children we work with will be female.