A force-multiplier
AGIR’s objective of eradicating gender-based violence and exploitation, of empowering women, and of being a force-multiplier by strengthening other Congolese NGOs comes to an intersection in its incubation of UFEDOC’s Goma chapter. UFEDOC (Union des Femmes Domestiques du Congo) is a national NGO with a local chapter based in Goma and is a member organization of the IDWF (International Domestic Workers Federation). Their objective is to empower domestic laborers through unionization, training, and psychological counseling. AGIR is supporting UFEDOC and its staff of 6 through loaning office space, providing managerial and financial oversight and training, and building technical capacity.
Already AGIR has helped UFEDOC through:
- Supplying internet connection and electricity
- Modernizing staff coordination with Google calendars
- Developed financial and administrative protocols
- Trained community organizers in technique and strategy
- Provided strategic guidance
- Provided financial assistance amidst unreliable cash flow
Up to this point (6 months), UFEDOC accomplishments include:
- Unionized 245 domestic laborers into XXX local unions which receive support from the government and OCHA.
- Provided trainings and educational sessions for 450 people in Goma, including 250 domestic workers, 10 of which were men. Subjects covered include relevant laws protecting domestic workers, entrepreneurship and leadership, and micro-credit opportunities.
- Partnered with 6 associations—representing 5000 domestic workers—that represent, place, and contract domestic workers to clients and worked with those 8 associations to train domestic workers on topics such as contract negotiation.
- Provided psychological counseling to 250 domestic laborers, including 60 survivors of sexual violence and physical violence.
- Have established 8 solidarity groups and 20 discussion groups in Goma for domestic workers
- Organized an International Domestic Workers Federation (IDWF) congress for members of UFEDOC (IDWF’s chapter in Congo) to create a representative committee of domestic workers to organize the organization’s lobbying efforts on legislation, including supporting the enforcement of Conventions 189 and 190 which were ratified by the Congolese government.
AGIR will continue to invest in UFEDOC through:
- Providing grant writing training
- Providing budget training including training on QuickBooks
- Assisting them in networking to build the relationships that will eventually lead to long-term stable funding
- Building a website for UFEDOC
- Providing photography and videography training
- Developing and refining internal operations
- Continue modernization efforts with introduction to Asana and other platforms and best practices
AGIR’s goal is that UFEDOC will leave the incubation:
- With sustainable income and without a gap in projects
- Having leased its own office
- Ready to expand its team
- Began its vocational training and literacy program to reduce violence against women in the workplace
- Having established a savings and credit program that provides enabling financial support for ventures and investments of domestic laborers in UFEDOC’s unions
- Having built a pro bono complaint response and legal team to intervene in cases of abuse and exploitation of domestic workers.