Yesterday, we got some of the survivors that Dynamique des Femmes Juristes supports access to a much-needed source of income—goats and sheep.
After they’ve prosecuted the perpetrators of violent crimes, the team at DFJ thinks about women’s futures, too. “They are often single mothers who have families to support,” said Bernadette from the DFJ office in Nyiragongo, about 30 minutes outside of Goma. “They need to have more ways to earn a living.”
The goats and sheep work well for women who don’t already have access to a plot of farming land. But for those who do? That was a different story.
“With something like more seeds for their farm and better tools to tend the land, these women can do much more,” said Bernadette.
So we jumped right in. Good quality seeds and tools can be difficult to find locally. Instead, we brought them from Goma, and gave them to the women who are ready to plant them in their fields.
Beans, Sorghum, potatoes, and more will soon be sprouting!
“This will support me and my family,” said one woman. “This is going to really help us a lot.”
We’ve already witnessed the great strength of these women as they fight for what is right, no matter what. If they bring even a sliver of that strength into tending their plots, they’ll have a full harvest in no time.
Note: These photos were taken with express consent by the participants, with some women using stand-ins to receive the 365 support.
Photos by Lens on Life photographers, Operation Goma (DRC): Ngoa Kamundu Kennedy and Basizi Michel
