Democratic Republic of the Congo

“I learned to build walls, but also strong human relationships.” With these words, 20-year-old Shandrack Mwimbilwa captures the heart of the PROMOST IV project, an initiative changing the lives of young people in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by Swisscontact, PROMOST IV goes beyond teaching young people how to master a trade - it equips them with life skills that help them navigate the complex social and economic realities of one of Africa’s most fragile regions.

Swisscontact has long been committed to strengthening skills and livelihoods, particularly in fragile contexts like the DRC, where conflict, poverty, and instability have left millions of youths without sustainable pathways to work. PROMOST IV (Promotion of Market-Oriented Skills Training in the Great Lakes Region) offers a bold response: pairing technical excellence with soft skills that empower young people to not just survive but thrive.

In Bukavu, Sud-Kivu, a city shaken by ongoing conflict, young people are defying fear and instability to build a better future through vocational training. Since mid-February 2025, the city has been under the control of the armed group Alliance Fleuve Congo et du Mouvement du 23 mars (AFC/M23), disrupting daily life and threatening livelihoods. However, under the Promoting Market-Oriented Skills Development and Job Creation in the Great Lakes Region (PROMOST IV) project, funded by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by Swisscontact, young apprentices are showing remarkable resilience and determination to secure their futures.

19-year-old Iragi trained in carpentry and entrepreneurship in Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Today, she makes furniture and sells it to households in her neighbourhood.