DRC 2017 Chart page

By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living below the international poverty line ($1.90 a day).

Women’s ability to earn money is not only a fundamental economic right but also critical to improving their and their family’s wellbeing. Through our programme, women gain knowledge in small business management and in a vocational skill (e.g. tailoring) that can help them to earn.

30% of women graduates of our programme in the DRC reported personal earnings of at least $1.90 a day, compared to 40% at enrolment.

2017 was a difficult year for women in the DRC with drought, cholera outbreak and fluctuating insecurity posing challenges for their social and economic well-being, particularly their opportunities to earn and save money.

By 2030, build the resilience of the poor and those in vulnerable situations and reduce their exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and environmental shocks and disasters.

Savings and assets are critical for women and households to cope with economic shocks, by providing a safety net for hard times. For women living in poverty, savings can be seen as an unaffordable luxury. In our programme, women learn how they can save even on a low income.

95% of graduates of our programme in the DRC reported saving a portion of their earnings, compared to 97% at enrolment.

At the time of data collection, women had only just completed their savings group cycles and so were not in active savings groups. Regardless of this, the data point for this indicator remains very high – which is extremely promising.

By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round.

Food security is a key indicator of wellbeing and decreasing poverty. Food security is not just about having access to enough food but also nutritious food. Nutrition is a key part of our training, supporting women and their family’s health and wellbeing.

Upon graduating from our year-long programme, 93% of women reported having sufficient food in the house in the last four weeks, compared to 82% of women at enrolment.

Given droughts in the DRC, this data is encouraging and could suggest that women were using their harvests to feed their family rather than income generation (see Goal 1).

By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.

Graduates from our programme scored an average of 58% on a test measuring knowledge of health and well-being, compared to an average score of 45% at enrolment.

By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.

Many of the women we serve, especially in the DRC, have never completed primary school due to discrimination in their communities that undervalue girls and blocks them from opportunities. Increases in education for girls is a positive sign of change across generations. 

Women graduates of our programme report 82% of girls in school compared to 76% at enrolment.

By 2030, end all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.

Women gaining confidence is central to their empowerment, believing in themselves and their abilities to participate, engage and affect change for themselves, their families and communities. It is also a positive sign of recovery from trauma and isolation.

The perceived self-efficacy of the women on our programme in the DRC has increased on graduation, from 0.53 (53%) on average to 0.66 (66%) (on a scale of 0-1).

This is a new metric we use to attempt to measure women’s perceptions of self-confidence, future outlook and capacity to follow through with life goals.

By 2030, ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with international standards.

In the conservative communities where we work women are denied influence over decision-making, including over their own bodies. Our data highlights an important shift in women’s voices being heard in decision-making which should also lead to positive changes in wellbeing.

68% of women graduates of our programme in the DRC reported at graduation being involved in decisions about having more children compared to 74% at graduation.

BY 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.

Women face multiple barriers in accessing employment. For example, in the DRC, attitudes in communities favour men working with women expected to stay at home to cook, clean and look after the children. Yet women’s employment is critical to their economic opportunities.

On graduation of our programme, 70% of women reported employment across all occupation levels compared to 56% at enrolment.

By 2030, significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.

Conflict and poverty increase women’s vulnerability to all forms of violence, with violence acting as both a consequence and driver of discrimination with women surviving violence being more vulnerable to further abuse.

Graduates from our programme scored an average of 69% on a test measuring knowledge of human rights and violence against women, compared to an average score of 56% at enrolment.

By 2030, ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.

Women’s engagement with groups in their community demonstrates women’s increasing participation. Informal networks are key for providing social and economic support as well as group decision-making skills through elections of committees to manage the group.

The percentage of women who were a member of a group outside of our training had increased by the end of our year-long programme in the DRC, from 68% at gradation compared to 56% at enrolment.