Emergency Reception Centers in the DRC: Situation Overview

Based in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi, the two facilities welcome children living on the streets (CLS). Established by Dynamo International in partnership with CATCR[1], these spaces provide multidimensional care. Every day, between forty and fifty young people find a moment of relief there.

Origins

In 2017, following requests from street social workers, the Ministry of Social Affairs, and DISPE[2], the first emergency reception center was created in Kinshasa, in the Bandalungwa district. Named CAU Likemo[3], the center provides a response tailored to the needs for assistance, support, and protection of children living on the streets. A few years later, in 2022, a similar center was established in Lubumbashi under the name CAU Jaska.

As reference spaces for children and young people rejected by their communities and families, these centers also serve as convergence points for all street social workers and local associations, administrations, juvenile courts, and public or private services wishing to refer a child in an emergency or dangerous situation. They also constitute a structure that facilitates the work of social workers and legitimizes their presence within communities.

In the DRC, only 7% of children living on the streets have access to a basic social service, most often limited to shelter. The majority of social assistance services and institutions remain inaccessible. Often the only link between these children and institutions, social workers are poorly equipped and still insufficiently recognized. In Kinshasa, the socio-educational facility operates day and night, allowing children living on the streets a moment of distance before their psychological rehabilitation. With a reception capacity ranging from 15 to 60 children during the day and up to 32 at night, Likemo follows a methodological approach aimed at integrating and reintegrating the child as a whole. The training programs offered are income-generating, such as tailoring, livestock farming, market gardening, and beekeeping.

Joli Apema, Coordinator of CATCR and the Congolese platform of Dynamo International, reviews the many years of activity:

“It should be recalled that everything began in 2006, at a time when CATCR had very limited resources. What has changed since the creation of the centers is the recognition of street social work and the law on child protection (…). At the beginning, there was a certain instability, but today there is a real social response, and I am proud of that. What stands out to me is that everything is possible when there is determination. And it can be said that over all these years, thousands of children have passed through here.

The issue of sustainability is very important; we need continuity, and thanks to the many achievements, we are better equipped to face growing needs. In any case, even if funding were to stop one day, we will continue no matter what (…). We are also seeking funding sources other than Dynamo, as public authorities’ involvement remains weak; their only contribution is providing buildings for the centers, which they can reclaim at any time. We must find solutions to continue this project. My watchwords are commitment and determination, and in this regard, our goal is to be as autonomous as possible—for example, by developing a farm, which would serve as internal self-financing (…).”

In this context, relationships and trust are essential. Joli Apema adds:

“We managed to help a girl escape the trap of prostitution. In such cases, we conduct outreach work, especially at night. The most important thing is to build a relationship of trust; only then can we guide them toward vocational training that will lead to employment. As for this young woman, she is currently in training, which is very good news.”

Edwin de Boevé, Director of Dynamo International, enthusiastically speaks about the bonds that are formed:

“In Kinshasa, on Boulevard du 30 Juin, I met a young boy who had a severe infection in his leg. We got to know each other, talked a lot, and I suggested that he come to the center to see a doctor (…). I also met someone who was very young at the time; he attended the center for a while, and today he is a mechanic working in a garage (…).”

Testimonies from three girls, beneficiaries of Likemo:

“The training I completed and the support from the Program to help me get started changed my life. Today, I am able to support myself—paying my daily transportation costs of more than 8,000 Congolese francs, saving money, and people around me no longer look at me the same way.”

“Today I have my own plot of land, and it has grown thanks to the training I received. Today, I can call myself a farmer.”

“The presence of healthcare services at the center has changed our lives. Before, it was impossible for us to get treatment for malaria or a sexually transmitted infection. Thank you to the center for this, because we really needed it.”

 

[1] Committee for the Support of Street Social Work in the DRC

[2] Directorate of Social Interventions for Child Protection

[3] The term LIKEMO draws its inspiration from three words in Lingala meaning “family” (Libota), “school” (Kelasi), and “profession/work” (Mosala).