The youths have complete vocational training and psychosocial support in Goma

We trained 20 conflict-affected young people in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, over three months. All had been formerly associated with armed forces or groups and were referred to our Fesser and Friends Transit and Orientation Centre after escaping active conflict.

Training covered carpentry, welding, and metal fitting. During the programme, trainees produced furniture, doors, windows, handwashing stations, and metal crates, and some of what they made was sold to reinvest in materials and give them real market experience.

We ran psychosocial support alongside the technical work: regular counselling sessions, group discussions, and recreational activities. Stigma initially made it hard for some trainees to open up, so facilitators shifted to smaller groups and activity-based formats, which gradually built trust.

We spent $2,641 (roughly £2,100) from the Kwanda grant on training delivery, materials, and administration, with bank and admin fees coming to $150.

The main constraint was materials. Trainees had to share and rotate tools and protective equipment, which limited individual practice time, and the three-month duration was tight for fully consolidating trade skills. We are now developing a structured exit plan with start-up kit distribution and follow-up check-ins for graduates, and will look to extend future cycles to six months.