Centers

Within our dedicated outreach centers, we empower local youth through vocational training and work to promote the development of Congolese communities.

Making A Difference

Rural areas have been most heavily impacted by militia violence and recruitment. Our rural centers promote both healing and the development of skills tailored to each community. By responding to the unique needs of these communities, we aim to resolve the problem of unemployment and contribute to the reconstruction and development of rural Congo.

Bideka

The Bideka grouping within Walungu territory has long been a refuge for those displaced by regional conflicts, including many Hutu refugees since 1994. However, this hospitality has come at a cost, as the area now...

Bukavu

The city of Bukavu experiences relative stability and calm despite intermittent attacks by armed individuals who harm civilians, and it remains a refuge for those escaping the violence that has afflicted the eastern Democratic Republic...

Bunyakiri

Bunyakiri, located within the Kalehe territory in the northern part of South Kivu province, is plagued by intercommunity clashes involving Bantu-speaking indigenous peoples and armed factions such as Maï-Maï Kirikicho, Raïa Mutomboki and various Nyatura...

Goma

Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu, grapples with pronounced demographic fluctuations due to the dual threats of volcanic activity and escalating conflict. The eruptions of Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira have devastated the livelihoods of those...

Kalehe

Kalehe is a territory plagued by a high concentration of rebel armed groups, ranking fourth in violent deaths in North and South Kivu, as per the Congo Study Group report. With the local community backing...

Kalemie

Kalemie is the capital of the newly-created Tanganyika province which emerged following the DRC’s recent partition. Previously a part of the resource-rich great Katanga, the extraction of “blood minerals” such as cobalt, copper and diamonds...

Kamanyola

Situated within the conflict-ridden Ruzizi plain, the Kamanyola area has endured over two decades of strife, sexual and gender-based violence, and community clashes that have fostered the rise of armed groups. These groups often coerce...

Kavumu

Kavumu, situated on the fringes of South Kivu’s bustling Bukavu, has grappled with the presence of armed groups in the neighboring Kahuzi-Biega Park since November 2018. Factions attack communities located on the outskirts of the...

Luhwindja

Luhwindja is a chiefdom marked by its artisanal gold mining and agriculture, yet plagued by sexual violence and armed conflict. The mining industry exposes young girls seeking daily wages to toxic substances and sexual violence...

Minova

The surge in militant activities by various rebel groups in North Kivu has transformed the adjacent Minova locality into a haven for the war-displaced. Minova documented almost 45,000 displaced people in just the week of...

Restore Hope. Empower Potential.

LAV believes in the potential of youth who have been given the right opportunities to transform their communities. Help provide a second chance through fundamental education, detraumatization therapy and vocational training.