MONUSCO Vocational training programs run by UN peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are providing young people in Ituri Province with new skills and economic opportunities, helping to steer them away from armed groups.
The initiative, led by the Bangladeshi contingent of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), is transforming lives in a region long plagued by insecurity and high unemployment.
Expanding horizons
For many participants, the program offers a vital alternative to the cycle of poverty and potential recruitment by armed factions. The training covers a diverse range of fields, including:
- Mechanics and electrical work
- Modern farming techniques
- Information technology
- Mobile phone repair
- Refrigeration and generator maintenance
Ismael Issa Lema, a 35-year-old father of eight, described the training as a turning point. After being forced to abandon farming due to conflict, he attended a soap-making course at the MONUSCO Ndoromo camp.
“I encourage young people not to lose hope,” Mr Lema said. “Thanks to a soap-making course I attended, I have become well known in Bunia and even as far as Drodro. This training expanded my skills and opened new opportunities for me.”
Mr Lema now runs a production unit in Bunia, earning enough to support his family and even train 125 other young people in the trade.
Breaking the cycle of poverty
The program’s impact is also evident in the agricultural sector. Sheylah Nyembo Saukira, 23, a Master’s student in Gender and Family Studies, used skills gained from the training to become a successful agricultural entrepreneur.
“I encourage young people to take up farming,” Ms Saukira said. “It is a promising sector that can quickly help people escape unemployment and poverty. It is far better than remaining idle, which exposes young people to many dangers.”
She now manages three farms and has expanded her ventures to include a small grocery shop, achieving financial independence. Jean-Bosco Uzele Upio, head of Ituri’s Provincial Youth and Patriotic Awareness Division, praised the initiative for strengthening youth capacity.
“The training programs… help strengthen the capacities of our young people so they can become productive members of society,” Mr Upio stated. “Since 2019, these peacekeepers have been providing free vocational training… This helps reduce unemployment and prevents some young people from joining armed groups.”
By investing in economic empowerment and practical skills, the United Nations mission in the DR Congo aims to foster long-term community resilience and stability in a region facing persistent challenges.
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