Fondation Chirezi has seen the day since 2001 but has started working in 2002 in Uvira, South Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The word « CHIREZI » is common to almost great lakes region dialects and means care giver with emphasis to the person who takes care of the baby at the absence or death of the mother. It is the inspiring word of the organisation. This organisation has started its
work during a period when human rights, especially women’s and children’s were abused and tramped under feet in the Democratic Republic of Congo because of decades of war, conflict and general violences. During that period the first victim of such human rights violation and abuse were children and women. This is why, Fondation Chirezi was created to initiate a space for the promotion and protection of human rights in general, and children and women’s in particular, bring back peace in the community, help resolve conflicts and inaugurate a new period where people could live together again and forget the past, build up a space where ex offenders can live again with their victims, where every body in the community can join hands in fighting together poverty, hunger, vulnerability for the social development and up-liftment of each other and face the future together. Finally, Fondation Chirezi is a grassroots initiative tackling grassroots problems in local communities: children orphans of war, ex child soldiers, women victims of violence, non violence and nonkilling, local infrastructure, education, transparency and integrity, peace and conflict resolution, brief a community initiative for the community, building peace by impacting and changing lives. Ray of Action
The FOCHI currently operates in the Territories of Uvira, Fizi and Walungu in Province of the South Kivu but it has the ambition of extending its ray of action to all the country of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the great lakes region, Rwanda and Burundi. Directly, Fondation Chirezi wants to work for the promotion of women and children in its ray of action belonging to that category of people who were and still more vulnerable of incessant wars and conflicts in the region. Childen: ex soldiers, girls which were wives of the rebels, unaccompanied children, living alone, children head of their households, orphans, living in extremely poor families, beggars, street… among which 30% are girls and 70% are boys. Women: Women are the base of the society in DR Congo but it is sad to notice that they are also the first target of war and human stupidity during conflict and violence. We would like to work for women victims of all sort of violence, women in need, excluded from marriages, etc…
b) Indirectly, the beneficiaries of this project are their families and all their communities which will benefit from the skills and talents of these children and women once trained and reintegrated. Our activities also target the whole population living in community and which is generally abused and lives in extreme poverty and ignorance. This community is also victim of incoherent socio-political system of development in place in Africa: corruption, mismanagement, instability...
Objectives of the organisation
a. Global Objective
To improve living conditions of rural populations, promote peace and conflict resolution, and defend human rights in communities especially children and women’s by promoting voluntary community service which enable poor people, orphans, vulnerable and destitute to access to development standards, human dignity and integrity through quality education to all, health, …
Specific objectives
Care for poor children, especially orphans and children living in situations particularly difficult such as ex child soldiers, illiterate, on the streets etc... by giving them free quality formal education and vocational training in community school structures called Farms of Hope schools. Put in place Infrastructures of Education from the Primary to University education (Schools of Volunteers) where poor people, orphans, vulnerable and destitute in the community will access to quality education provided by national and international volunteers. Peace and conflicts resolution through the Forums of peace called Baraza of Peace, forums of resolution of conflicts and peace building in communities
Participation of the community in the promotion of transparency and integrity in the management of national and community patrimony
Defend and promote human rights especially women and children’s rights. Fight against malnutrition, poverty, poor health conditions by promoting and intensifying measures of prevention and restoration of education, health, hope and dignity of children and women’s. Initiate Clubs of Volunteers for Peace, Clubs of Volunteers for Development, Clubs of Volunteers for Health, Clubs of Volunteers for Education, Clubs of Volunteer for the Environment
Put in place women Trauma healing and care Centres to care for women victims of sexual violence and other violence against women today
Domains of intervention
Education, Health and skill training
Peace, conflicts resolution and transparency
Human rights defense and promotion
Socio-economic development, detraumatisation and reintegration.
