Centre of Management and Promotional Support (CEDAP Asbl)

• Where – Democratic Republic of Congo (Middle Africa)
• Website – www.cedapasbl.org
• Contact Person – Lazare Lufakalyo
• Email – lazaremobeti@yahoo.com
• Address – 212, Avenue Emery Patrice Lumumba, Ibanda, Bukavu, PO Box 71, Cyangugu
• Other – asblcedap@yahoo.com, info@cedapasbl.org

Centre of Management and Promotional Support (CEDAP Asbl) has expertise in a range of areas, including:

• Community Development
• Local Economic Development

Main Aims and Objectives

CEDAP aims to promote a spirit of understanding, tolerance and peaceful coexistence, whilst stimulating cooperation among people and local authorities towards securing peace and integral development.

• To empower communities of deprived communities and vulnerable persons including victims of wars; women, children and youth;
• To contribute to the reduction of poverty through actions in the agro-pastoral areas, environment, health and sanitation, and education;
• To promote human rights, sustainable peace and the security of individuals;
• To address the root causes of humanitarian crises by focusing on conflict transformation between communities.

In response to the recurrent conflict and crises in the DR Congo, especially in the eastern regions, CEDAP focuses on empowering local communities singularly women, youth and local leaders of civil society in order to understand the importance of peace and reconciliation between individuals. Therefore CEDAP is building strong leadership through skills enhancement, training and welfare assistance to vulnerable groups. It also promotes reciprocal understanding, love and sincere dialogue between communities in conflict.

CEDAP is based in the eastern DRC in the province of South-Kivu, but could extend its activities to other regions of RDC. It mainly works with international, national organisations, local authorities and grass root community including vulnerable women; widows, single mothers, children, youth and young single mothers, grandmothers, elders, refugees and displaced persons, who are mostly affected by the war, injustice, inclusion and social inequality.

CEDAP’s activities include:

• Conflict resolution skills training and seminars;
• Campaigns against gender-based violence in two villages of Kamanyola and Kalunga in South Kivu;
• CEDAP members and Youth Training /workshops on human security, peace building and reconciliation through collective actions of development;
• Mediation and dialogue committees in villages of Kashenyi and Rubumba;
• Reflection on setting up of a kind of ‘Citizen advice bureau’ and ‘a youth and women centre on leadership’ across the South-Kivu;
• Financial, social and psychological support/counselling on the benefit of individuals in hardship situation;
• Support of sport activities in the communities and schools.

Activities to be undertaken
CEDAP wants to continue to help communities to transform their conflicts by strengthening the communities affected to value each other, build alliances, and find common ground in order to change the systems that support their division and promote community development and peace building. This could be achieved through positive and peace-promotion collective activities/initiatives undertaken by the most affected groups (Women victims of violence and youth in distress full) which include:

• Community meetings conducted four times each month;
• Gender mainstreaming and financial support (women groups to undertake productive activities; like small trade, cultivation, goat and chicken farming;
• Community needs assessed through meetings by asking people for their priorities;
• Money generated by working-groups is used to assist group members with problems such as sickness, death and naming ceremonies;
• Assembled at night to narrate stories and watch films on peacebuilding in Ruzizi valley and non-violence areas;
• Formed women and youth information and formation for peace-club and peace promoters, which organises drama and football matches, IT courses, etc;
• Resolved minor disputes among people without being fined;
• Prevailed on local chiefs to reduce fines on individuals with cases already before them;
• Organised inter-community exchange visits.