Social Capoeira: sport for building dialogue and peace in the DRC

Context

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is facing a protracted crisis, characterised by conflicts and natural disasters that generate massive population movements and result in serious violations of fundamental rights, such as children’s rights, gender-based violence, lack of access to education and to the judicial system (OCHA, 2021). The country is home to the largest number of displaced people in Africa. In 2021, the number of displaced people was estimated at 5.6 million, with 531,353 refugees and asylum seekers from neighbouring countries originating from the DRC (OCHA, 2022). 

Thus, the initiative supported by Gigando pela Paz uses the innovative approach of social capoeira to support actions to care for these populations affected by armed violence and other crises (pandemics, natural disasters).

Goals

• Strengthening the capacity and participation of children and young people in the promotion of dialogue and peace through the practice of sport
• To contribute to the training of young social educators (girls and boys) who will use sport to promote a culture of peace and dialogue in communities in eastern DRC
•  Strengthening the care of girls and young women who are victims of violence and other vulnerabilities, contributing to their empowerment
• Strengthening the psychosocial care and reintegration of demobilised children and street children

Activities

• Social Capoeira Training
• Physical exercise for cognitive development, spatial awareness, play and collaboration with others
• Training young people to become social educators
• Introduction to musicality
• Girls’ dialogue rounds on topics such as reproductive and sexual health, women’s empowerment, breast cancer and violence against women
• Mixed dialogue rounds (girls and boys) on topics such as human rights, mediation of interpersonal conflicts, environmental protection, participatory citizenship and first aid
• Film sessions

Target Impacts

• 43 street children, 51 adolescents including 23 girls will be trained in social capoeira
• 23 girls, including 5 street children will be entitled to social integration
• 3 girls and 3 boys between the ages of 20 and 26 will be trained to become social capoeira specialists
• Approximately 150 children demobilised from armed groups will be in the process of family reintegration
• 7 young girls who survived sexual violence will recover from their traumas and be empowered

Photo credit:Gigando Pela Paz