Photo by RET Germany

Article by RET Germany Global Communications

BUKAVU, DR Congo – 20 November 2025, in Bukavu, RET Germany and its partner ), RET Germany and its partner Bureau de Volontariat pour l’Enfance (BVES) officially launched a major new initiative to support and protect adolescent girls affected by armed conflict. The launch coincided with International Children’s Day, underscoring the urgency of the work ahead.

Funded by the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO), the project—“Support for adolescent girls associated with armed groups and survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, through prevention and socio-economic reintegration in South and North Kivu”—responds to a reality where too many adolescents continue to face violence, insecurity, and trauma. Girls associated with armed groups or surviving sexual violence remain among the least protected, often overlooked in Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) processes and are often at high risk of renewed exploitation or re-recruitment.

Our Longstanding Commitment in D.R. Congo 

RET Germany has been active in D.R. Congo since 2012, implementing programs that help young people escape cycles of violence and create pathways toward stability. RET has maintained a permanent presence in the country, working alongside trusted local partners including BVES, ACPEJ, PAP-RDC, and FDAPID. 

Through our previous Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) projects since 2012, more than 2,000 children and youth have left armed groups and successfully reintegrated into their communities. We have learned that engaging local leaders and grassroots networks prevents new recruitment, and that combining psychosocial care with education and livelihood training dramatically reduces the risk of re-recruitment – less than 1 percent of participants return to armed groups. 

Our collaboration with national authorities and partners such as UNICEF, MONUSCO, and the P-DDRCS has strengthened local child-protection systems and built a strong foundation for this new phase of work. 

Who Will Benefit

RET Germany and BVES will work across South Kivu (Walungu, Kabare, Kalehe, and Bukavu) and North Kivu (Masisi Territory, along the Bweremana–Sake axis) to support the people most affected by conflict.

Its impact reaches far beyond the adolescents directly involved:

• 720 demobilized children — including 624 girls and 96 boys — will receive protection, counseling, and pathways back into school or skills training.
• 720 families or guardians will be supported to create safe, stable environments so reintegration is sustainable.
• 300+ community leaders—women, youth leaders, teachers, and local authorities—will be engaged and trained to strengthen local protection systems.
• 30,000 indirect beneficiaries across the targeted zones will benefit from safer communities, improved services, and revitalized local structures.

This approach ensures that support reaches not only the children affected by armed groups but also the communities responsible for protecting them.

What Success Looks Like

The project is built around measurable results that reshape lives and strengthen communities:

• Safe shelter, care, and services for 240 adolescents through the new Centre de Transit et d’Orientation (CTO), offering protection, counseling, and a structured path toward recovery.
• 720 children and adolescents reintegrated into school, vocational training, or income-generating activities, reducing the risk of exploitation or re-recruitment.
• 456 adolescents trained in trades, entrepreneurship, agriculture, and livestock farming — each receiving start-up kits to immediately apply their skills and earn income.
• 60 community governance structures strengthened, with a focus on increasing the leadership of women and improving local decision-making around child protection.
• 20 inclusive community micro-projects—including water-point repairs, road rehabilitation, or other community priorities—implemented to foster collaboration and stability.
• 16 community dialogues bringing together youth, leaders, families, and local authorities to rebuild trust, reduce conflict, and reinforce social cohesion.

The € 2.5 million initiative aligns with the Congolese government’s P-DDRCS framework and the UN Paris Principles, ensuring a protection-centered, inclusive approach. By integrating education, livelihoods, and governance components, we aim to build a holistic model that protects, heals, educates, empowers, and strengthens the community around each adolescent and responds to both the immediate and structural causes of instability. 

Why This Project Matters Now 

Eastern D.R. Congo remains one of the most complex humanitarian environments in the world. More than 120 armed groups continue to operate in the Kivu provinces, and girls face extreme risks, from forced recruitment and sexual violence to stigma and rejection upon return. 

In a period when international partners are renewing their commitments to peace, projects like this one are essential to translate those promises into tangible impact. Investing in the reintegration of girls is not only a moral imperative; it is a strategic investment in lasting peace.  

When girls heal, learn, and lead, entire communities grow stronger, safer, and more resilient. 

Our work directly contributes to Germany’s Stabilization Strategy and advances several Sustainable Development Goals, including Quality Education (SDG 4), Gender Equality (SDG 5), Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10), and Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDG 16). 

Partnership and Local Leadership 

Our collaboration with BVES, one of D.R. Congo’s most experienced child-protection organizations, is central to this effort. BVES has supported more than 8,000 girls since 1994 and operates the only specialized girls’ transit center in South Kivu. Together, we combine our technical expertise and donor accountability with BVES’s local legitimacy and community networks. 

Local ownership is at the heart of our approach. Women’s groups, youth clubs, and traditional leaders will be directly involved in planning and implementation, ensuring that this work is community-driven and sustainable long after the project ends. 

The Bigger Picture

Behind each number is a girl who has lived through violence, displacement, or exploitation—and who deserves a real chance at safety and dignity.

This initiative is designed to turn that chance into reality. By combining safe spaces, trauma-informed care, education, economic support, and stronger community structures, it provides the foundations for long-term recovery and resilience. RET Germany and BVES aim to help young people rebuild their futures and contribute to lasting peace.

Follow our progress on theret.org/news and our social channels to see how we continue to build futures through education, protection, and empowerment. 

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