This article recounts an initiative led by World Vision and the Protection Cluster on the occasion of the Day of the African Child 2025 in North Kivu. The event brought together local authorities and humanitarian actors under the theme of planning and budgeting for children’s rights, within the context of a prolonged crisis. Discussions centred on emergency education, the fight against child exploitation, support for reintegration centres, and the need for reliable data to inform decisions. A powerful testimony from a young former street child strengthened the call for concrete action. World Vision concluded by emphasising that protecting childhood is an investment in peace and the future of the country.

This article highlights the progress of a school feeding programme in the Greater Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of Congo. By promoting the use of locally grown, nutrient-rich crops such as cowpeas, cassava, and sweet potatoes, the initiative not only improves the nutritional quality of school meals but also strengthens community resilience and agricultural self-sufficiency. It showcases how different provinces like Kasaï Oriental, Kasaï Central, and Lomami are adapting crop choices based on local needs and market value. The article also emphasises the educational dimension of the programme and outlines how communities are taking ownership to sustain the initiative even during school holidays. Through a blend of nutrition, education, and local empowerment, the programme stands as a model for sustainable development.

This article highlights a powerful celebration of the Day of the African Child 2025 in Luwowoshi, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Organised by World Vision and local partners, the event gathered over 900 people, most of them children, around the theme: “Planning and Budgeting for Children’s Rights: Progress Since 2010.” Confronted with alarming issues such as child labour, violence, and dropping out of school, children spoke out with strength and emotion. They denounced the abuses they face, shared their dreams, and urged adults to ensure their right to education, protection, and well-being. Figures such as Nestor and Alicia, both 14, carried their peers’ voices through moving advocacy messages, calling for collective mobilisation towards a safer future. In concrete response, World Vision distributed nearly 600 school kits to vulnerable children, easing their return to school. The initiative was praised by teachers, who emphasised the need for community support to combat child hardship.

In this insightful article, Arnold Mutombo, People & Culture Coordinator at World Vision in the DRC, shares his experience as a rural recruiter. Through five years spent in remote areas of the country, he highlights the major challenges HR professionals face: geographic isolation, insecurity, scarcity of local skills, and cultural constraints. Yet far from dwelling on the hurdles, the author also insists on the positive impact of local recruitment: community integration, empowerment, skills transfer, and socio-economic reinforcement. A compelling case for a more inclusive and strategic recruitment approach that values the often-overlooked potential of rural areas.

This article highlights the official launch of a new community development programme by World Vision DRC in Nkama, in the commune of N’Sele, Kinshasa. The initiative seeks to improve living conditions for vulnerable households, with a special emphasis on children’s well-being. It outlines the programme’s multisectoral components (education, livelihoods, health and nutrition, sponsorship), and highlights the commitment of local authorities, community leaders, and residents. It also reflects World Vision’s vision, mission, and core values, and underlines the importance of co-creation with communities for sustainable development.

In Dipeta, Fungurume, Swana Makanda Kelly exemplifies resilience and community leadership. A father of eight and long-time volunteer paralegal, his life changed in 2020 after joining World Vision’s Empowered World View (EWV)training. The program helped him realise his potential and take action, starting with farming one hectare of land, later expanding to two, and launching a seed business. With his wife, he also built a palm oil trade, earning up to $600 per cycle, while saving monthly to invest in a barbershop and a planned health center. Swana now mentors over 50 households, showing how faith and vision can transform lives through income diversification and shared knowledge.

CIES bios of World Vision Presenters

Myriam Nongo, 54, lives in Fungurume, DRC, where she leads the local Association of Persons with Disabilities, supporting over 50 members. A mother of four and caregiver to seven orphans, her life changed after joining World Vision’s Empowered World View training in 2023. Inspired by the program, she started a donut and chick-raising business and formed a savings group for women with disabilities to launch their own initiatives. Guided by faith and determination, Myriam now dreams of creating an educational center for children with disabilities, showing how transformation begins with courage and community.

In the village of Kakombo, DR Congo, Jina Mujinga represents the quiet yet powerful dedication behind school meals. A mother of nine and a devoted volunteer, she cooks each morning to nourish hundreds of students, giving them a real chance to learn with full stomachs. Through her story, the full impact of the school feeding programme supported by WFP in partnership with World Vision, and funded by the European Union, is real.

World Vision Malawi has joined the Government and other stakeholders in the launch of the National Multi-sector Nutrition Policy and Strategic plan, as World Vision implements the Enough Campaign.