CURRENT PROJECTS

Partnership for the Development of Eastern Congo – Tujenge

Period:  2021 – 2026

Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo – North Kivu and Ituri region

Donor:  United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

Implementing partners:  Tujenge is a program implemented by a consortium of 12 international and national organizations.

 

Overall objective :

The objective of the Tujenje program is to strengthen the foundations for lasting peace in North Kivu and Ituri.

Project Summary:

The Eastern Congo Development Partnership, Tujenge, is an ambitious five-year, $39.5 million program funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which aims to benefit 500,000 Congolese men and women in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces, with a particular focus on areas bordering the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (OWR) and Virunga National Park.

Tujenge is aligned with the initiative of the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo: Demobilization, Disarmament, Community Rehabilitation and Stabilization Program (P-DDRCS). Thus, the Tujenge program strategy is integrated, agile, multi-faceted, socially inclusive and conflict sensitive, to address the root causes of conflict and crisis and ensure resilient, economically and environmentally sustainable outcomes through long-term systemic approaches.

In the local context, ASM has an important role to play in achieving inclusive and diversified economic growth. Within the sub-outcome3.2, focusing on the ASM economic sector risk mitigation and enhanced minerals trade transparence, ARM will lead the following outcome: “Artisanal and Small-scale miners are supported for the social and environmental risk-mitigation and market readiness to produce and sell responsibly-produced minerals through the CRAFT approach. This component will mostly focus on the surroundings of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve in the Ituri province of the Eastern DRC.”.

The main objective is to create local capacity to support artisanal gold miners in undertaking a route towards legalization, progressive formalization, and improved production and profitability. With the proximity of the wildlife reserve, it will be essential to incentivize miners to work outside the parking area and consider the environmental impacts of the activity.

ARM will build on its existing methodologies, based on the application of due diligence, market-entry level standard “the Craft Code”, to raise the awareness of miners regarding the strengths and weaknesses of their operations, and generate concrete positive changes

In order to create local capacity, ARM will train technical personnel from those CSOs related to the project that has the potential to add value in the process of supporting the miners.

ARM´s team will work in close collaboration with other mining component project partners with in-depth knowledge of the ASM in the region:

  • IPIS – mapping and analysis of stakeholders and mine sites
  • Hive – enabling national and international supply chain actors to engage with ASM
  • Chambers Federation – value addition through jewelry workshops run by women
  • WCS – significant local presence in the region of the Okapi Reserve, community engagement
  • Local CSO organizations – once trained, they will be at the forefront of providing support to ASM stakeholders

 

Project Summary:

The Eastern Congo Development Partnership, Tujenge, is an ambitious five-year, $39.5 million program funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which aims to benefit 500,000 Congolese men and women in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces, with a particular focus on areas bordering the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (OWR) and Virunga National Park.

Tujenge is aligned with the initiative of the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo: Demobilization, Disarmament, Community Rehabilitation and Stabilization Program (P-DDRCS). Thus, the Tujenge program strategy is integrated, agile, multi-faceted, socially inclusive and conflict sensitive, to address the root causes of conflict and crisis and ensure resilient, economically and environmentally sustainable outcomes through long-term systemic approaches.

In the local context, ASM has an important role to play in achieving inclusive and diversified economic growth. Within the sub-outcome3.2, focusing on the ASM economic sector risk mitigation and enhanced minerals trade transparence, ARM will lead the following outcome: “Artisanal and Small-scale miners are supported for the social and environmental risk-mitigation and market readiness to produce and sell responsibly-produced minerals through the CRAFT approach. This component will mostly focus on the surroundings of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve in the Ituri province of the Eastern DRC.”.

The main objective is to create local capacity to support artisanal gold miners in undertaking a route towards legalization, progressive formalization, and improved production and profitability. With the proximity of the wildlife reserve, it will be essential to incentivize miners to work outside the parking area and consider the environmental impacts of the activity.

ARM will build on its existing methodologies, based on the application of due diligence, market-entry level standard “the Craft Code”, to raise the awareness of miners regarding the strengths and weaknesses of their operations, and generate concrete positive changes

In order to create local capacity, ARM will train technical personnel from those CSOs related to the project that has the potential to add value in the process of supporting the miners.

ARM´s team will work in close collaboration with other mining component project partners with in-depth knowledge of the ASM in the region:

  • IPIS – mapping and analysis of stakeholders and mine sites
  • Hive – enabling national and international supply chain actors to engage with ASM
  • Chambers Federation – value addition through jewelry workshops run by women
  • WCS – significant local presence in the region of the Okapi Reserve, community engagement
  • Local CSO organizations – once trained, they will be at the forefront of providing support to ASM stakeholders

 

Results 2022:

Quantitative results

• Capacity building on ARM’s approach, the CRAFT Code, the Congolese Mining Code and Datastake for 183 participants (Men 163 / Women 20) 

• Selection of 5 Mining sites part of a Cooperative (Ngayo Congo) to support  an estimation of 812 miners (740 Men / 72 Women)

• Recruitment and in-depth induction of one (1) local coordinator, and agreement to work with one (1) local agent part of Justice Plus.

 Qualitative results 

1. Training and Tools Adaptation:
•   Online CRAFT Code course and Progress-APP ASM diagnosis software were implemented.
•   
Territorial diagnosis dashboard, viability reports, and questionnaires were utilized to understand child labor dynamics.

2. Local Coordinator and Communications Materials:
• 
In-depth induction and recruitment of a local coordinator for effective program management.
• Development of communications materials: ARM brochure in Swahili, website article (https://t.ly/Lr8b), CRAFT Code brochure in French, and a mining component 1-pager.

3. Strategy Development and Set-up:
• Articulation of
 a high-level strategy for interactions in and around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve.
•  
Negotiations and establishment of an apartment to serve as the office and housing for ARM agents and partners in Nia Nia.

4. Partnership with Local NGO:
•  
Mapping of local NGOs involved in mineral supply chains in Ituri.
•  
Selection process, including Terms of Reference (ToR), to complement the role and skills of the ARM’s local coordinator.
•  
Collaboration agreement with Justice Plus, including the selection and hiring of a local agent.
•  
Launch of the CRAFT online course in collaboration with the selected local NGO.

5. Mine Site Selection and Training:
•  
Territorial analysis of Niania and Bafwanakengele villages to understand community profiles, social characteristics, ASM dynamics, human rights and security conditions, and environmental impacts.
•  
Progress made in the selection of 5 mine sites participating in the program.
• 
Training conducted on the CRAFT Code, Congolese Mining Code, and Datastake for selected mining sites.
• 
Work session held with the Ngayo Congo Mining Cooperative and its mining sites to present diagnoses and establish initial improvement plans for the upcoming year.

These achievements demonstrate the progress made in implementing ARM’s Sustainable Mining Program, including training, stakeholder engagement, site selection, and fostering partnerships to promote responsible mining practices in the region.

Beneficiaries:

Tujenge will engage various stakeholders in Mambassa (Ituri) and Beni (North Kivu), especially those excluded in the current dialogue processes, to develop robust mechanisms to foster meaningful social inclusion, ensuring that the voice of marginalized individuals and groups are involved in the process.

In particular, the program will prioritize youth, engaging them in civic economic and social activities to steer them away from armed groups and associated illicit activities.

 

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