Democratic Republic of Congo
Income Generation for Widows

WER is working in partnership with ARM Congo in Uvira to help fund income generation projects for widows and female-headed households. It is estimated that over 2 million people have been killed during conflict in Eastern Congo in the past three years. A generation of men has been lost, leaving behind tragic numbers of widows and orphans.

Widows, single mothers and orphans are often the most vulnerable in Congolese society. Many women have been raped during the war, resulting in a large number of single mothers who are marginalized in the community and who are bringing up children without any support network. WER is helping to support a micro-enterprise initiative that has been set up by widows to benefit the local community.

Through the scheme, widows, single mothers and orphans are receiving training in sewing and tailoring. Beneficiaries are then able to start up small businesses to generate income from the goods that they produce, thereby providing them with essential income to pay for food and school fees for their children. 

As well as receiving technical training in sewing, the women also receive classes in reading and writing. In this way, women who may previously have found themselves marginalised by society find that they are more easily reintegrated into their local communities.

More than 50 women have already completed their training and some of them have sucessfully gone on to start their own businesses in tailoring.