Ms Divine MULONGE KISALI is Executive Secretary of the Association of Rural Women Friends of Peace and Development. She is a psychoclinician with a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology from the Université Espoir d'Afrique in Burundi. She is the visionary founder of FERAPAD asbl, which she has headed since its creation in March 2008.
The association is a rural women’s initiative for women and girls in rural areas of DR Congo. It is a group of rural women committed to combating the poverty and misery at the root of the stigmatization of women and girls. It is also a space specialized in the promotion of practices and strategies for self-promotion and peasant self-sufficiency in all sectors, notably in the prevention and management of inter- and intra-community conflicts, peace, the promotion, defense and protection of the rights of women and girl-children in rural areas, the promotion of peasant agropastoral efforts aimed at the transition to ecological agriculture, for the financial recovery of women, food self-sufficiency and sustainable rural development, model of the peasant incarnation. Main mission of the association: To support rural women and girls in their efforts to achieve emancipation and dignity.
« To build peaceful, secure entities in the rural areas of eastern DRC, where human dignity, the rights of women and girls, and the equality of all human beings are sacred. FERAPAD’s major achievements: Establishment of a poultry farm called the O’O ALAMO PROJECT, which in Kibembe means : « the hen, poultry farming is life », « from the hen, poultry farming, the dream of life becomes a reality » The farm’s objectives include :
- Chickens that improve living conditions,
- Chickens strengthen economies and empower women and families,
- Chickens that guarantee children’s schooling,
- Support for women affected by war, armed conflict and poverty, support for idle young people fighting unemployment, idleness and delinquency,
- A henhouse with children’s play area,
- Companion hens that fight weeds in the garden,
- Chickens ensure good health and food security in the home,
- Chickens put an end to malnutrition, poverty and misery in the farming community.
The establishment of a community radio station, Amani FM, run by Stanislas WOANGA KAMENGELE (Program and Communications Manager for FERAPAD asbl-DRC).