The AJAN Building Resilience among Women and Young Girls in Africa (BRWGA) Project at the Centre Saint Ignace de Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, continues to transform lives by empowering women and young girls through economic inclusion and vocational skills development. At the project’s halfway point in 2026, encouraging progress demonstrates how access to financial support and practical training can restore hope, dignity, and self-reliance.
The project focuses on two complementary interventions: providing microcredit to 50 women to strengthen their livelihoods and offering tailoring and dressmaking training to 12 vulnerable girls at the Emmaus Vocational Training Centre, located near paroisse Saint Kizito in Kingabwa Municipality.
Restoring Livelihoods through Microcredit
Following awareness and orientation sessions, each of the 50 women beneficiaries invested in a small business of her choice using the microcredit provided through the project. Their businesses reflect the needs of their local communities and include the sale of agricultural products such as cassava flour, maize flour, chikwange (traditional cassava bread), soybeans, wangila, charcoal, fumbwa, fufu, spices, and groundnuts. Others have ventured into processed and manufactured products, including sausages (boudin), beer, and treated drinking water.
Across the streets and marketplaces of Kingabwa, these women are steadily rebuilding their lives through honest work. The accompanying photographs capture them confidently operating their businesses in their respective trading locations.
A particularly encouraging milestone is the commitment shown by the women living with HIV who are responsible for repaying the revolving microcredit fund. Their dedication has enabled the project to recover 1,500,000 Congolese francs (approximately US$650), strengthening the sustainability of the revolving fund and creating opportunities for future beneficiaries.
Beyond the financial results, the greatest transformation is seen in the renewed confidence of the women themselves. Many had previously lost hope of living independently due to poverty and social vulnerability. Today, they are earning incomes, supporting their families, and participating actively in their communities. Their businesses have given them the means to provide for themselves with dignity, replacing dependence and hardship with resilience and renewed purpose.
Voices of Transformation
The true impact of the BRWGA Project is best expressed by the women whose lives have been transformed. In the first series of the testimonials shared by Centre Saint Ignace, the beneficiaries unanimously affirm that the project has given them much more than financial assistance. It has restored their hope, enabled them to provide for their families, and given them renewed confidence in the future.
Mme Sylvie MOBA shared how the microcredit has transformed the lives of her family, especially her three orphaned children.
“I thank AJAN and the Centre Saint Ignace for giving me this microcredit. Through the sale of charcoal and doughnuts, I have been able to pay a large part of my three orphaned children’s school fees. I also bought them shoes and school supplies. One of my children has just completed the State Examination, another sat for the examination to move to the third year of secondary school, and my youngest completed the Primary School Leaving Certificate examination. This microcredit has truly done me good.”
She also explained that school expenses temporarily delayed her contribution to the revolving fund.
“I apologize for the delay in making my repayment because I had to meet my children’s school expenses. In just two days, I sold charcoal and doughnuts and was able to contribute 50,000 Congolese francs. I will add the remaining balance this week.”
Mme Merveille NZANGILA expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity that allowed her to start a business she once thought impossible.
“I thank AJAN, Fr. Michel Lobunda, and Fr. Blaise Evagle for this life-saving support. Before receiving this microcredit, I never imagined that I could own a market stall with products to sell. Today, I am proud of the progress I have made because this support lifted me from a situation of great hardship.”
She concluded her testimony with a prayer for those who made the project possible.
“May God continue to bless all those who support vulnerable women and enable many more people to benefit from initiatives like this.”
Madame Arlette Mosongo described the project as an unexpected blessing during a difficult period for many families.
“I sincerely thank the AJAN for the money we received unexpectedly. The women of paroisse Saint Kizito are very happy because these microcredits have become a great source of support during this difficult time. My business is going well, and this act of solidarity has given us hope.”
She also emphasized the importance of maintaining the revolving fund so that others can benefit.
“Every week, I make my repayment through Mrs. Mbala, the recovery coordinator for our sector, because I want other women to have the same opportunity that I received.”
These testimonies reveal that the BRWGA Project is achieving far more than economic outcomes. It is restoring dignity, keeping children in school, strengthening families, and empowering women to become active contributors to their communities. As more beneficiaries continue to share their stories, they will provide even stronger evidence of the lasting impact of this initiative.
Equipping Young Girls with Skills for the Future
The second component of the BRWGA Project invests in the future of vulnerable girls through vocational education. On 4 May 2026, twelve girls began a nine-month tailoring and dressmaking programme at the Emmaüs Vocational Training Centre.
The training commenced with a one-month theoretical phase, introducing participants to the principles and foundations of tailoring before transitioning to practical instruction. Since 15 June 2026, the trainees have been developing their skills through hands-on practice under the guidance of experienced instructors. The programme will conclude with a one-month internship, enabling the trainees to gain practical workplace experience before completing their studies.
Mademoiselle Christelle Mungwatela e Mademoiselle Régine Mapanda learning to sew at centre Emmaüs.
For these young women, vocational training represents far more than learning a trade. It provides a pathway to self-reliance and offers protection against the vulnerabilities that often expose girls to exploitation and risky means of survival. By equipping them with employable skills, the programme is helping them build a future founded on dignity, independence, and hope.
Reaching Families and Communities
By the midpoint of 2026, the BRWGA Project has reached 148 direct and indirect beneficiaries, including:
- 50 women benefiting from the revolving microcredit scheme;
- 86 dependants supported through the improved livelihoods of these women; and
- 12 girls receiving tailoring and dressmaking training.
These figures demonstrate that the project’s impact extends well beyond individual participants. By empowering women economically and equipping young girls with vocational skills, the initiative is strengthening families, improving educational opportunities for children, and fostering more resilient communities throughout Kingabwa.
As the project enters its second half, the progress achieved so far demonstrates the transformative power of combining economic empowerment with vocational education. Through sustainable livelihoods and practical skills, the Centre Saint Ignace de Kinshasa, in partnership with AJAN, continues to restore hope, strengthen resilience, and create lasting opportunities for women and young girls in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The stories emerging from this project are powerful reminders that when women are empowered with opportunity, entire families and communities flourish.
De, Rémy Ngamba Etsayem,
Director, Centre Saint Ignace de Kinshasa, DRC.
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