© Pacifique Obe Palmer
The project PROSOWO II is targeted towards strengthening social work education and practice in countries of the East African Community (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda). In neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where poverty and violence is widespread, there is dire need for social work services, too. But there is no single social work training institution in the entire region, nor are there sufficient qualified social work professionals. The few social workers don't have a professional association and only very limited influence on social development and policies.
With funding from the state government of Carinthia (Austria) and the NGO 'AfriCarinthia', new project activities in Eastern DRC will be started soon. The objectives are:
- Short-term: Establishment of an 'Initiative Nationale des Travailleurs Sociaux' in order to empower social workers to influence social policies and play a more significant role in social development.
- Medium-term: Establishment of a school of social work at a university in Bukavu;
- Long-term: Provision of a good number of qualified social workers to meet the needs of vulnerable population groups.
