Immaculée, 18, leans against a blue jeep, one of many vehicles lined up for repair at the Sotraki garage in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). She’s in training here, well on her way to becoming a mechanic, and she’s the only girl in sight.
Longstanding conflict in the DRC has created a displacement crisis with massive implications for the country’s young people as they ponder their careers and livelihoods. How do you plan for the future when the present is so unsure? Through Childhood Rescue, World Vision has established a social reintegration program in eastern DRC, equipping 90 displaced young people including Immaculée with skills in small business and trades.
Some of Immaculée’s peers have been internally displaced for a year, but most have been away from their homes for two years or more. According to OCHA, since the start of 2024, an additional 940,000 people have become newly displaced in the DRC, bringing the total to approximately 7.3 million. Among the displaced, 51 percent are women, and 80 percent of the displacements are because of armed attacks and clashes.
It was a night spent in fear of such violence that led Immaculée to her current career path.
“I chose to become a car mechanic because, one day, my family, myself, and other passengers were forced to spend the night in the middle of the park because of a breakdown,” she recounts. “We were exposed to wild animals and feared being raped or killed by armed people in the area.”
The incident left a deep impression on the teen. She recalled the helplessness of not being able to fix the vehicle that night and, when presented with training options that included more traditional skills for women—like hairdressing and dressmaking—she chose mechanics instead.
Whatever the paths they’ve chosen for themselves, Immaculée’s cohort of budding mechanics, hairdressers, dressmakers, and shopkeepers are demonstrating immense courage. As they apply themselves to building skills and setting goals, they’re showing that it’s possible to work for your dreams, even when the context is unfavourable.
