Everyday children like Benjamin face fear and abuse at the hands of militia members. Your gift could help children like him to escape a lifetime of poverty and violence, not just by improving his chances, but by helping the whole community to help itself. Read our stories of how the work of local hero Henri Ladyi is making a real lasting impact on the lives of thousands of people living in eastern D.R.Congo, and just how far your gift can go.
A life without guns for Congo’s children
In the past year Henri has rescued 230 child soldiers, offered them safe passage back to their families, and given each a skill to support themselves.
Henri budgets around £21 to train each child, … MORE
… some choose engineering, others haircutting or animal husbandry. He gives them the tools they will need, some rabbits, a clipper or tools, just enough to get by. Of course the ideal is that they return to school, but their urgent need is to feed themselves before and during their education, so they do not return to the militia for the promise of a meal.
Kakule’s story
“Our village was attacked by rebel soldiers in 2006, our houses were burnt and many people fled. The Mai Mai came and said they would protect us, but they needed fighters. I saw the youngest amongst them giving orders and collecting taxes from the richest men of our village. I wanted to be like him.
For 3 years I fought on the frontlines, my role was look out and to control the operation with my magic. With my magic I have seen just 150 militiamen destroy whole battalions and any number of villages.
Henri came to our commander in 2009, he was able to negotiate the release of me and many other children.
Henri helped me to resettle, he gave me clean clothes and talked to my family so I could return home. He gave me two goats to look after. I tend to them every morning, and then I go to school. It’s been one year now. I want to be a teacher at the university, this is my hope.”
Kakule age 13
Stopping conflict before it starts
Across eastern D.R.Congo Henri has set up what he calls Task Forces throughout the region. These are coalitions of police, army, the UN, ex-militia members, civil leaders and church leaders – groups which have often had conflicting priorities. The Task Forces mediate in disputes, dispel false rumours … MORE
… and give early warning across the district when disputes threaten to turn to bloodshed. In the past year they have successfully bought an end to 152 local conflicts.
The task forces also help people who have been forced to flee their homes to return. In D.R.C there are over 2 million people who have been forced to flee their homes because of outbreaks of violence. The task forces perform reconnaisance visits to check that it is safe for these people to return, and then accompany them through the bush to ensure they are not attacked enroute.
Tuning into a new future
In the jungle radio is the only reliable way to communicate with people. For many years Henri has used radio to spread his message of peace – reaching militia groups deep in the bush and people living in remote villages. He has negotiated a cut down rate with the radio station bosses … MORE
… meaning he can broadcast at primetimes and set up over 73 radio clubs to share radios– with 30-50 people in each.
Kambale’s story
As the radio broadcast came to an end, Henri became aware of a young man waiting outside, he was around 20, bare-chested with sopping wet clothes and a shaved head. In this corner of eastern Congo he was instantly recognisable as militia and cut a threatening sillouhette.
His name was Colonel Kambale Maitre des Erreurs (teacher of mistakes) and he was chief commander of over 150 militia. For over 3 years he had been an armed combatant fighting a brutal bush war, but he had heard Henri’s broadcast talking about helping rebels to disarm and live in peace. Henri took Kambale to the mayor of the town, but he refused to receive the boy as he feared for the safety of his household. Instead the boy spent the night in the police station.
The next morning they went back to the mayor – he was keen for Henri to help Kambale as he believed that with the right support the young generation can have other options available to them rather than becoming combatants in the bush.
Henri found an organisation that would help Kambale to find family members and to adjust to village life. He is now living in a village close to his Aunt’s house. In the following days 11 of Kambale’s combatants followed him out of the bush. Kambale and Henri will continue to work together to call others from the jungle.
Each radio broadcast costs around £35, a gift from you of just £6 a month over a year could cover the cost of two broadcasts, and reach out to young men like Kambale.
Returning home after fleeing violence
In D.R.Congo there are over 2 million people who have been forced to flee their homes. Henri has set up teams of ex militia and local leaders to perform reconnaissance visits to check that it is safe for these people to return, and then accompany them through the bush to ensure they are not attacked enroute. MORE
Once returned Henri runs trauma counselling workshops to help these people come to terms with what they have been through. It costs around £70 to run each trauma counselling workshop. A donation from you of £6 a month over a year, could cover the cost for one workshop and help people move on with their lives.
Kahumba’s story
Children’s laughter fills the wet heat of the morning. Kahumba smiles to herself as she measures out their vitamin supplements.
The hut is perched on the side of a valley and as you look out across it, you can see what once were homes, now overrun with forest growth, and the edges of abandoned fields.
Kahumba was just a child when a militia group burnt this village, Muhila, to the ground. For many years she and her family dared not return.
In Muhila, Henri set up an orphanage for 22 children who had lost everything in the war. Malnutrition makes these children look years younger than they are. Henri found the funds to train Kahumba as a nutritionist and his organisation’s presence gave villagers like her the confidence to return, to overcome the fear of what they have experienced and return to their homes.
The centre in Muliha provides the orphans with what they need for a second chance to be strong and healthy children: food, shelter, medicine and security. For each child it costs about £8 a month. Please donate today and help these children face a brighter future.
Love in a time of conflict
In the past year Henri has persuaded 630 militiamen to lay down their arms. Many of them now act as ‘critical friends’ – granting invaluable access to the most hardened militia still in the bush. Henri helps the men to set up co-operatives – each has between 30-50 members … MORE
… Henri’s organisation provides them with supplies to start a business; some cassava bread, or dried fish. The co-operative members meet on market days and pool their profits to buy more supplies. The members have fled conflicts in various parts of the region, and the co-operative gives them a chance to overcome prejudice and work collectively. It costs around £35 to start one person in a co-operative. A donation of £3 a month over a year could support one person to support themselves.
Eric’s story
In a village not far from Butembo a man named Eric is building a house for his wife and future family. He works late into the day, yet even in the dusk you can still make out the scars on his arms.
Two years ago Eric was a colonel in one of the largest militia groups in the area. The commanders of this group gain their status through black magic rituals, and they will persue this power at all costs.
For many years communities across the district have been at the mercy of this group. But when peacebuilder Henri Ladyi met the colonel he saw not a fearsome militia leader, but a man who could be a powerful ally in the struggle for peace. Eric was open to ideas about stopping the fighting and he was able to grant Henri safe passage to meet with other militia commanders. Eric introduced Henri as ‘the man who is thinking about our future’, and through this introduction Henri negotiated the release of 30 child soldiers, to return them to their families.
Yet Eric’s own village could not forgive the damage he had done to them. He was living between lives – keen to help Henri to promote peace, yet unable to live himself in peace. Henri talked to him about starting a new family, finding a wife and settling down. But the Mai Mai believe that if you take a wife you lose your power and without a community to support him Eric could not give up what he had leant on for so long.
Henri made Eric see that whilst he continued to rely on black magic, the communities he longed to return to would never accept or trust him.
Eric got married last December and his marriage is a powerful symbol to all those around him of how far behind him he has left the life of violence. Through this he can begin to build trust and to use his influence to help Henri engage with more armed groups in the struggle for peace.
