Mission
Creating empowering environments for children and young people in the Kivu region (DR Congo) so that they can reach their full potential. We aim to support Congolese children and youth with opportunities in care, housing, education, business development and employment.
Vision
At 4Watoto, we imagine DR Congo as an upbeat and thriving country. We believe DR Congo can be taken to the next level through the empowerment of its children and youth. DR Congo has one of the youngest populations in the world. Youth empowerment creates the path for a sustainable peace, with more happy and self-sufficient people, a resilient economy, higher living standards and strengthened communities. When children and youth reach their full potential, they will be empowered to act as role models for their peers and influence them in positive ways. This influence will extend so much further than the 4Watoto Foundation itself.
Our role is to create stimulating environments that stand on three key foundations:
1. A safe space to grow up in
2. Tools to develop yourself and create skills
3. Opportunities to turn skills into value
All this so that children can truly be children, are allowed to develop into confident unique young people and are able to grow at their own pace into happy, confident and independent people.
After this, all that is left for us as 4Watoto to do is to let them know that they can always fall back on the safe community they came from.
Problem definition
The situation in the DR Congo is frightening, intense, deep-rooted and complex. The problems and misery hangs over the beautiful country like a cloud. It overshadows the wonderful people, society, cultures and potential. In DR Congo, children's rights are violated. Child labour takes place; children work in prostitution, mining, as soldiers or as 'ordinary' street vendors. In addition, children are living on the streets in several cities, the current social safety net for orphans is not load-bearing enough and there is no adequate reunification plan for families.
From instability and scarcity, the majority of Congolese children and young people have few opportunities for development; they cannot enjoy a carefree childhood, do not or barely attend school, do not subsequently find work and, in addition, live in miserable conditions. This also applies to most children who grow up 'normally' in a family and do not grow up on the streets, in refugee camps or in overcrowded orphanages. Without opportunities, they are all stuck in a cycle of poverty and dependency. These individual barriers to youth ensure that communities, and ultimately the entire region, remain stuck in the same cycle.
The narrative on DR Congo is always about negativity. We want to bring positivity, to liften up the image DR Congo has. To rise up the hope of her people and rejoice together.
Philosophy
4Watoto supports the recovery and building of communities in DR Congo by creating stimulating environments for children and youth.
We focus on the science of critical mass. We quote, "a sufficient number of adopters of a new idea, technology or innovation in a social system so that the adoption rate is self-sustaining and creates further growth." In our case, when the number of youth in DR Congo (who strive to reach the full potential of themselves and are willing and able to help the country move forward) reaches a certain benchmark, this will then take an entire generation and subsequent generations and inspire them in this mindset, implementation and vision.
We embrace sustainable solutions, circular thinking and fighting the cause of the problem rather than symptoms. We are very aware that this is all about an ethically complex situation as the initiators are not all from the same cultural background. We act jointly as team DR Congo and team Netherlands from unity but there is a rough division of responsibility.
4Watoto Foundation wants to bring positivity into the world and the focus is on possibilities and a positive attitude towards the future, but we will not shy away from highlighting the dark side of situations as well.
Through this, we hope to accelerate the process of decolonising the brain. This is needed in both Africa and the western world if we are to live and care for our world together in a renewed honest way.
4Watoto is a multicultural organisation that stands for human unity. 4Watoto believes that education can be a bridge between two worlds from which solidarity and equality flow.
Core values
Unifying
"Tuko pamoja", Swahili for "we are together". 4Watoto wants people to grow towards each other by radiating the principle that we are all human. Background, religion, nationality and age have no bearing on this.
Conscious
Being aware of our position as an international foundation and the impact this has. We encourage people to be aware of their impact and behaviour, both towards other people and towards nature.
Passion
We enthuse, involve and facilitate people in a contagious way to do concrete things for each other and the world.
Loving
Love is the power of the world and the core from where 4Watoto works. In dealing with children, donors, partners, employees and everyone else we reach.
African
Positivity, celebration of life, motivated, combative and pure. There are so many underlying values, but one thing is certain, even though we operate internationally: 4Watoto works from African culture.
Open-minded
4Watoto looks at the world with open eyes and wants to improve its innovative approach as much as possible by simply observing, learning and wondering.
Educational
Offering education in the worlds it operates in; the Netherlands, DR Congo and the internet. By learning and educating, we come closer together and grow together.
WHAT CAN I DO?
Foundation 4Watoto needs your support!
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Help us to support children in Goma.
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