PEREX-CV ('Programme D'Encadrement et de Reinsertion Socio-Economique Des Ex-Combattants et Autres Vulnerables; in English, the 'Training and Socio-Economic Reinsertion programme for Ex-Combatants and Other Vulnerable Sectors') is a Congolese NGO that supports local grassroots organisations and other local initiatives and projects. Their mission is to contribute to the pacification and development of the DR Congo by the sustainable training of adult and youth ex-combatants as well as other vulnerable members of local communities.

PEREX sum up their vision as follows:

We remain convinced that it is really utopian to speak of peace in our country without first talking about socioeconomic stabilisation of citizens who have joined armed groups and who live in our communities without any other adequate training to assure their survival. It is also utopian to speak of peace in third world countries without thinking about the issue of youth abandoned to their sad destiny, who have no perspective, no values. It is these individuals who become absorbed into violence and conflict and it is these individuals and vulnerable Congolese women who we train in issues of peace, peaceful co-habitation, reconciliation and non-violence. We call on all good men and charity organisations who read this to please support us in our noble task.

Vulnerable men and women brought together in a solidarity group which produces market garden products. They are in the process of producing cabbages on their community land. PEREX-CV trains them in this field so that they can become self-sufficient and improve their quality of life in Lubero.

Specific objectives:

• Identify and form a database of all youth and adults who have left armed forces and groups in order to return to civic life.
• Sensitise and make these youth aware of the attitudes they need to adopt once they arrive in their recipient communities.
• Reconcile the ex-combatants with other members of the recipient communities.
• Engage in advocacy for the durable and salaried employment for ex-combatants and other vulnerable members of the communities, in order to gain socioeconomic stability.
• Protect and prevent ex-combatants and other vulnerable youth and children from engaging in any sort of abuse and violence in order to prevent potential (re)-enrolment into armed groups which still exist.
• Create with their beneficiaries ‘solidarity groups’/corporations which group together project recipients according to the type of survival or socioeconomic activity they will engage in as part of their reinsertion.
• Initiate with the youth workshops of reflection, exchange, training, information and action, called ‘Barza of youth for peace’.
• Initiate with schools a similar project entitled ‘school clubs for peace’.
• Reinforce the capacities of the leaders of these youth corporations.
• Job and literacy training for those who want to learn but who have not had access to school.
• Educate them in the values and cultures of peace and non-violence, of peaceful co-habitation and of peaceful conflict resolution.
• Initiate agricultural activities for the youth who have been regrouped into the various corporations in order that they can participate in development activities.
• Promote gender and parity issues.
• Participate in the fight against climate change.
• Promote sport and leisure as also being a means of reconciliation and co-habitation between youth formerly in conflict.

Achievements

• In 2004, in collaboration with the MONUSCO/DDRRR, PEREX-CV participated in the sensitisation of Mai-Mai combatants who were operating in the west of Butembo Town. This helped 1,500 of them to leave the Bush and return either to civilian life or to integrate into the national army.
• In 2005, PEREX-CV participated in the training of 450 ex-combatants and 150 other vulnerable people during their community reintegration. This was by means of community construction work of four bridges to open up the town of Butembo. Financed by USAID/DAI.
• In 2007, PEREX-CV participated in the identification, sensitisation and awareness training of 1,212 ex-combatants, who then chose what job they wished to learn for their durable socio economic reinsertion.
• The training of 1,212 ex-combatants and 450 vulnerable people during the rehabilitation of the region between Maboya and Mabalako (36km long). Financed by USAID/DAI.
• Learning on the job for hairdressing and beauty for 350 ex-combatants and 45 other vulnerable people. Provision of kits after receiving the training, financed by USAID/DAI.
• Put into action the community youth corporations (The youth Barza for peace, the solidarity groups, school clubs for peace).
• Provision of jobs for 42 female ex-combatants and 12 other vulnerable women to provide them with stability during their socioeconomic reinsertion by means of commercialisation of fish.

Future perspectives

• Expand these activities to include firstly all of the North Kivu province and then the entire DR Congo.
• Create for the youth four multicultural centres in Butembo, Rutshuru, Goma and Masisi.
• Build a recovery centre for children and youth who have not been to school in order to make them literate and train them in job skills.
• Develop an office of listening, of studying, of analysis and of denunciation of all cases of human rights abuses. This will also deal with the protection of children and young people against all sorts of abuse.
• Have large pilot agricultural fields in order to introduce youth to the rural activities which constitute the basis of development of all nations.
• Socioeconomic stabilisation of all youth and adults who are leaving armed groups by means of provision of housing for each person. The stability of a person depends on having lodging.
• Introduce youth peace corporations throughout all of North Kivu and finally in the entire DR Congo.
• Contribute to the eradication of ethnic and tribal hatred as well as the culture of violence within the minds of our youth.
• Contribute to ending the recruitment/re-recruitment of children and youth in armed groups and forces.

PEREX-CV at Work

Training of female ex-combatants and other vulnerable women in culinary art or cake-making in Butembo. A project of PEREX-CV sponsored by USAID/DAI.

Reconciliation meeting organised regularly by PEREX-CV in order to reconcile women who are working together in the same activity. This meeting was to reconcile the two women in white blouses, one of whom is an ex-combatant and the other whom is not. The two women both work in the fish commercialisation project financed by PNUD in Butembo.

Reflection meeting with young people from Kimeni brought together for a Youth 'Barza for Peace', initiated by PEREX-CV organisation. In this Barza the members were composed of young people who had already been demobilised from armed groups and who were living with other young people in the town of Butembo.

Youth and adult ex-combatants being trained in the production of household soap, activities they will perform as part of their socioeconomic reintegration, in Butembo.