Sharing skills through volunteering in DRC

Sharing skills through volunteering in DRC

Before joining Cuso International, Noella Kizubanata Bangula was working as a UNICEF youth reporter, focusing on supporting local girls’ clubs in the Democratic Republic of Congo, mostly involved in raising awareness related to menstrual hygiene.

“I realized how much this issue affected young girls and how much the community needed access to accurate information on the topic,” she said. “That’s when I told myself I should become a volunteer to be closer to the population, to share information, to train people, and to support them in what they are doing. And then I thought: why not take it a step further?”

Running a business manufacturing reusable sanitary pad, Noella has gained many skills and experiences she could share with young entrepreneurs to help them face challenges, understand the process, and receive training.

Noella thought volunteering would be a perfect choice. And Cuso aligned with her values.

Now, Noella is working with Cuso’s Talents Pluriels program, which provides training to marginalized underserved youth, including women, 2SLGBTQI+ LGBTQ+  individuals, and people living with albinism. The program promotes gender-sensitive business practices and supports participants in their job searches.

Noella is proud of what she’s been able to contribute to the program.

“I feel like I added a building block, a stone to the structure to help ensure that young people are valued and recognized. When we now attend major forums where social inclusion is discussed, people listen and support this approach,” she said.

Volunteering has been a rewarding experience and has positively changed Noella.

“Through the program, we meet incredible people. These relationships and networks are priceless. The experiences and skills we learn from the environment around us make us better individuals,” she said.

“The Noella I was when I joined the program is no longer the same Noella I am today. Everything we have learned and taken on are values and strengths that will carry us forward into the future.”

The impact doesn’t stop there, Marie Rose- another volunteer with Cuso with a background in entrepreneurship and engineer specializing in petrochemicals and refining, also speaks highly of her involvement with Cuso International and Talent Pluriel. “During my assignment with Cuso International, I had an experience that was intense, formative, and deeply human. I worked in a structured, collaborative professional environment focused on social impact,” she says.