Reintegrating former child soldiers in DRC through vocational training
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£1,970
Through hands-on vocational training in welding, carpentry, and fitting, alongside psychosocial support and structured daily routines, the project helps former child soldiers in Eastern Congo rebuild confidence, gain practical skills, and move towards stable livelihoods. The goal is to reduce the risk of re-recruitment into armed groups and open pathways into dignified work and community life.
- Region 🇨🇩 Congo (DRC)
- Sector Education
- Beneficiaries 20
- Stage Pilot
This project grew out of the work of Alain Bayongwa, founder of World Hope Givers (WHG), an organisation based in Eastern DRC.
Alain has worked with emergency doctor Nicolas Fesser (Fesser & Friends) for years, supporting children affected by armed conflict around Goma. Many were forcibly recruited into armed groups or pushed onto the streets. Most carried trauma and had lost access to education and family.
At a care centre in Goma, the team started with immediate needs: food, shelter, safety, and therapy. Over time, they saw that the biggest turning point came when young people learned a trade they could use to earn money. Welding, carpentry, and metal fitting gave them practical skills and income options (and a reason to stay out of armed groups).
Why this matters
Conflict with armed groups such as M23 has displaced thousands of people in North Kivu, and children are among the most affected. Local estimates suggest that hundreds of children in Goma alone are either ex-combatants or living on the streets with little or no support.
Many of these young people experience ongoing violence, hunger, and exclusion. Existing programmes often provide short-term shelter or rapid reunifications, but do not always ensure that children have the skills and support needed for long-term stability.
By investing in vocational skills and emotional healing, this project:
Reduces the risk of re-recruitment into armed groups.
Supports dignified, sustainable incomes through small cooperative businesses.
Strengthens community cohesion by preparing families and neighbourhoods to welcome young people back.
Puts children’s rights into practice through access to education, protection, and development opportunities.
What this project will change
Over three months semesters, cohorts of young people will transition from extreme vulnerability towards safer, more stable futures.
Each participant will:
Join a structured training programme in carpentry, welding, or metal fitting.
Take part in daily activities that support healing, including music, sport, and group sessions.
Receive regular meals and secure shelter during the training period.
Work with trained psychologists and social workers to process trauma and plan next steps.
By the end of the semester:
Young people will have completed hands-on training in at least one trade.
Groups of five will be equipped with start-up toolkits to launch small cooperative projects.
Participants will be linked to local savings groups and community-based support.
The wider impact includes families and community members who see children returning not as "former soldiers" but as apprentices, workers, and neighbours with something to contribute.
Technical stuff
The Details
- Young people trained in trades 0
Updates
From the field
20 conflict-affected youth complete vocational training and psychosocial support in Goma
Posted 5 Mar 2026
Summary
In January and February 2026, we supported 20 conflict-affected young people in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, with vocational training and structured psychosocial support.
What happened: Three months of vocational training (welding, metal fitting, and carpentry) ran alongside regular counselling and group-based psychosocial activities.
Who benefited: 20 conflict-affected young people in Goma.
Cost: Not provided in this update.
Issues: Limited tools reduced hands-on practice time, and stigma initially limited participation in psychosocial discussions. Trainers’ fees were under-budgeted, and the programme started without a detailed post-training follow-up plan.
What’s next: WHG is developing an exit plan and exploring start-up kits to support graduates after the training period.
Overview
In January and February 2026, World Hope Givers supported 20 conflict-affected young people in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. The programme combined vocational training in welding, metal fitting, and carpentry with structured psychosocial support to support reintegration and livelihood readiness.
Training curriculum (welding, metal fitting, and carpentry)
The training focused on practical skills that trainees can use to earn an income.
Welding and metal fitting: Trainees fabricated metal doors, windows, handwashing stations, and small metal boxes.
Carpentry: Trainees produced simple furniture for use and sale.
Market exposure: Trainees sold some of what they produced during the programme, so they could practise their skills in real market conditions.
Psychosocial support and reintegration preparation
WHG delivered psychosocial support alongside technical training.
Regular counselling sessions and facilitated group activities supported resilience and emotional regulation.
At first, stigma made it hard for some trainees to join discussions about personal experiences.
Facilitators introduced small-group and activity-based sessions to build trust and improve engagement over time.
Implementation support (meals, care, and learning environment)
To support consistent attendance and safe participation, WHG provided:
Daily meals throughout the programme.
Transitional care for participants who needed additional safety and stability.
A structured schedule so every trainee could meet the required practical hours, even when tools had to be shared.
Challenges and community response
Challenge 1: Limited tools and materials
Trainees had to rotate and share equipment, which reduced hands-on time for each person.
Response: WHG adjusted the practical schedule so everyone could still complete the required practice hours.
Challenge 2: Stigma affecting psychosocial participation
Some trainees were initially reluctant to take part in psychosocial discussions.
Response: Facilitators used activity-based approaches and smaller group discussions to make it easier to participate.
Challenge 3: Budget and planning gaps identified during delivery
Trainers’ fees were under-budgeted, which created financial pressure near the end of the month.
The project did not start with a detailed exit strategy for post-training transition.
Response: WHG began revising the budget internally and is developing a structured exit plan to strengthen sustainability.
Looking ahead (post-training support and sustainability)
Next steps focus on follow-up support for graduates in Goma over the next one to two months, and on strengthening the next training cycle.
Finalise and implement an exit plan that sets out follow-up check-ins, start-up kit distribution, and referral pathways for graduates.
Mobilise start-up kits so graduates can begin individual income-generating activities.
For future cycles, extend the training period to six months so trainees have more time to build and practise technical skills.
Improve tool and materials availability so each trainee can spend more time on hands-on practice.
20 former child soldiers in eastern Congo receive tools and begin vocational training
Posted 9 Feb 2026
On 6 January, we brought trainers and teachers together to confirm working agreements and revise training schedules. We bought welding torches, hammers, saws, chisels, measuring tools, and protective gear. On 15 January, we distributed these tools to 20 participants so they could begin their vocational training.
The materials and tools cost $2,688, funded by Kwanda. This covered welding and metalwork materials ($1,409) and carpentry materials ($,279). Teachers' payments for three months (U$480) and transportation of materials ($120) were covered by local partners Fesser and Friends and World Hope Givers. We have $642 remaining from the Kwanda grant for ongoing training needs.
With training underway, we will continue teaching vocational skills and mentoring. We plan to connect graduates with local apprenticeships and business opportunities over the coming months. We will also continue to provide counselling and mentorship for participants who need extra emotional support.
Activities:
Restarted project activities after the holidays on 6 January
Held a meeting with trainers and teachers and confirmed working agreements
Purchased vocational training materials
Distributed tools and materials to 20 participants on 15 January
Reminded everyone of project goals on skills development and earning income during the event
Shamuyiri J., a project participant, shared:
I am very happy to receive this support because it will help me become responsible for my life and not return to the armed group where I once believed I could find a future. Every day, I prayed to God to help me find meaningful work not as a child soldier, but as a man doing skilled manual work. Now I am hopeful. When I finish my training, I plan to return to my village in Masisi to find my mother and support her with food. I will also encourage other child soldiers to leave the bush and seek opportunities like this where they can learn a trade or return to school because staying in armed groups is a waste of time. I thank WHG and its partners, Kwanda and Fesser and Friends, for giving us new hope through this programme.