Participants(146) included students from 5 universities in the City of Goma

The debate was fascinating, with different opinions from the participants. The speakers gave some advice to the girls that can enable them to become influential and contribute to change around them.

Thanks to this activity, 146 young students who took part testified to having become aware of their value in the Lord and to defining a life mission.

They testified to having acquired new knowledge and principles on transformational leadership. They have also decided to become proactive by working more in their circle of influence, realizing this is where they have control and must give up all the lies dictated to them by society. Having understood that their value does not come by society’s standards but through whom they are created to be in Christ.

Instead of feeling sorry for themselves, they decided to adopt a much more responsible attitude by developing their financial intelligence and creating income-generating activities for their financial autonomy instead of relying on men. 

In the end, 20 responded to the call to receive Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives and were referred to the churches closest to them.

Success Stories

 Jaelle, the president of the interuniversity representation of students in North Kivu, expressed profound gratitude to Un Jour Nouveau and its partners for thinking of the students when organizing this conference. According to her, there was a severe problem on the campuses with the students. The latter was at the root of many of the unrests that caused enormous material damage for claims either of buildings, the reduction of academic fees, or political issues. The transformational leadership that Un Jour Nouveau came to bring touched the consciousness of all the students who were invited. They realized that the change we want must start with ourselves before seeing it in others. According to her, this activity should not be limited there; her prayer is that this message reaches all students of all universities in the DRC because the work of transformation is enormous in Congo.

Ange is a participant in the conference with the students; she was very touched by the teachings of that day to the point where she testified that she was deeply blessed because now she has a new perception of herself. Every time she wanted to do something that could help her move forward in life, there was a little voice inside her that told her what her father, her mother, in short, those around her had been telling her ever since she was a child: “You are a woman, a weak creature, with us the woman is made for housework, to have children and to take care of her husband carefully. The value of a woman is when she is married to a man. Girl children do not count; you have to have boys because that is what values ​​the family; girls will marry, so you should not trust them…

It was only through the teachings received that she realized that all of this was at the root of her shyness, her helplessness in the face of the good challenges of life. She had no self-confidence at all; The very fact of studying was grace because his father always prioritized the studies of his brothers. His parents always pay his school fees last. It bothered her bitterly, but she was helpless because she and her two sisters had no means of defense.

But thanks to the teachings, she decided to raise her head, look life in the face, put aside fear and shame, become a leader, influence change around her, and dare to talk about it with her family, hoping that it will change a day. With tears in her eyes, she wondered why girls have to go through this? It must change. She expressed deep gratitude to UJN and begged for the fight to continue because women must regain their place in Congo.