Social Cohesion in DRC and region

Female participants (both residents and returnees) following a football match in Misisi

Years of war and displacement have impacted on the relationships between diverse communities in DRC and the region. These divides play themselves out along ethnic, tribal and nationality lines. They also become evident between polarized groups such as demobilized soldiers, returned refugees, and between military and civilians.
SFCG aims to repair these relationships through joint activities using media, culture, sports, conflict transformation trainings, festivals and communal projects.

The primary aim of this work is to spread ideas and practices of peacebuilding and conflict resolution techniques to the general public while helping diverse sets of peoples to interact and find commonalities through sport and culture.

• Bringing together former enemies and perceived enemies to play, eat, and spend time together in friendship;
• Enabling inter-ethnic collaboration to be viewed in public by a large number of people;
• Creating a large number of ‘informal messengers’, who will recount the event’s activities and outcomes to friends, neighbors and family members.

Traditional wrestling match at a SFCG-organized community festival

Complementing these on the ground peace building efforts, SFCG also produces radio programming targeted at promoting the resolution of conflicts in the East:

Kuyazungumuzia ni Kutenda (Talking is Acting) highlights the roots of social and political conflict, in an attempt to counter rumours, encourage parties to find common interests and propose non-violent solutions to conflict; it includes a “key word” section, which defines complex terms related, such as “brassage”, DDR, referendum law and others.

Sisi Watoto (We the Children: Giving Voice to Congolese Youth), produced for and by children under 18 years of age, highlights children’s rights and the challenges they face. The weekly program pays particular attention to the experiences of children associated with warring groups who are reintegrating into civilian life through interviews with children, local authorities and child protection associations.

Jirani ni Ndugu (My Neighbour Is My Brother) is a radio drama in Swahili that focuses on conflict in the day to day lives of Congolese. Using a ‘sit com’ format, the program revolves around a central group of characters who live through a particular problem in each episode, and find ways to resolve the conflict without violence.

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