Charity registration no. JUST.G.S.

112/S-KV/2459/2007

Project Report, Sud Kivu Unity Festival, October 2008

Introduction:

As we mentioned in our first report, the Football inter-Communautaire FIC (Football Between
Community) is based in one of the worst war –conflict parts of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo (DR Congo) Province of South Kivu, Territory of Baraka-Fizi, Eastern of DR Congo.

The initial objective of this Unity Festival:

The South Kivu Unity Festival which is the FIC’s annual event had for main oblectives:
- Bring about greater popular participation in the activities of FIC programmes and
missions.
- Promote peace initiative, wellbeing and building solidarity amongst societies.
- Promote gender equality and sustainable community development.
- Help, support and facilitate active citizen participation in making the decisions that affect
their lives.
- Promote the rights of children, women and other minorities.
- Educate and using awareness by providing information to civil society so that discussion
of important issues can be maintained.
- Support for war and disease orphans in their critical conditions.

Did the objectives of FIC project change during or after this Festival?

The objectives did not change. However, since additional funding could not be secured to enable
the project to deliver on its aims. The FIC team did not always need money to act and start these
initiatives. In every conflict there is local people building peace. But to be effective in the long
term they need resources to expand and reach out to more people and communities, to connect to
people in power and create political as well as personal change. That is where funding from
individuals, organisations and aid donors can make the difference between progress to a lasting
peace and stability.

The crisis scope in this region of South kivu was increase and terrify with some continuous
incident described in the neighbourhood region which could affect the peace process in the
region to become fragile. The FIC team of local volunteer staffs (women and men) determined to
keep violence out of society by promoting peace, tolerance and reconciliation through sporting
activities, have seen this as a good opportunity to launch the first FIC Unity Festival in South
Kivu, in programmes which conflict can be addressed and be resolved.
Think of conflict like an epidemic. When enough local people and activists are inoculated
against a disease, it stops spreading. Similarly, when enough local people and activists in area are
using non-violent way of dealing with conflict, violence can halted. As every conflict is
different, that is why the local people with the local knowledge they possess is vital.
The FIC project managed with its motivated local staffs has a most powerful tool that is the
Knowledge of the system, the history, the people involved and knowledge of the culture.

The FIC project was successful in achieving the expected objective during this Festival:

The South kivu Unity festival was conducted as planned. More than two hundred people and
delegates from all territories attended and well represented. Diverse communities and ethnicities
came together in a very small town of Baraka situated in the South of South Kivu Province, to
celebrate what the World most popular game can offer by means of unify people regardless of
gender, tribe, religion and break down barriers caused by ignorance and prejudice in a very
positive way. The FIC team in conjunction with Katanga youth centre have conducted diverse
successful workshops on conflict resolutions and HIV/AIDS awareness as part of the Unity
festival. Different activities were conducted in diverse schools across the town of Baraka as part
of the Festival. The mainly Provincial media sources and TV stations were mobilised for whole
week and for the first time in history of the region and whole country DR Congo by hosting an
important social event such as South Kivu Unity Festival by means of unify people and
communities which were ripped apart with war conflict. The medias were transmitted the whole
event live including the United nations radio channel in DR Congo (Radio Okapi) which is
captured in every angle of DR Congo, two competition events were conducted for female and
male. At the end of the Unity Festival, the participants and delegates returned to their local
communities and shared the experience and knowledge with other local activists.

Here is some of statistics gathered from our last report:

- 60% of its population still live in displaced areas both within and across the frontiers.
- More than 50% of young people between the ages of 6-20 years old are orphans from war
conflict and disease such as HIV and Malaria.
- 70% of young people are without access to education.

Here below is a Quote from Sophina Hanif, a volunteer from Sheffield, UK, who fled with FIC
Sud Kivu Founder and Coordinator, Desbon Bushiri, from UK to South Kivu, DR Congo to
participate on Unity Festival:

“I attended a primary school where I was greeted by 200 children. They sang
and acted out a few historical scenes for me. The classroom conditions were
awful. The teachers were working voluntarily and they had no means of
income. I was told that the majority of the children in the school were
Orphans. I asked the children what is their dream and one of the kids started
to cry and he said ‘What dream? I don’t know if I am going to live or die in
the next 10mins and no-one cares about me’. It was so hard not to cry. I
knew I couldn’t due to the fact I had to reassure them and give them hope. I
saw a child outside the school sat under a mango tree crying. I asked him
‘What’s the matter? Why are you not at school?’ he replied ‘My parent’s
didn’t pay my school fee’. I then went on to ask ‘how much is it?’ he
answered ‘£2 a month’. Once again I felt so emotional. In Africa people are
very hardworking and down to earth however because of the fighting and
many disputes the country has been portrayed into a bad light. The situation
now is calming down. People are slowly coming together and forming a unity
bond.
Football Inter Communautaire (FIC) is helping the tribes to come together
and also helping them appreciate each other’s views and opinions. There are
people working as volunteers at the office which is based in Baraka. The
project helps all vulnerable people who need help. It works close with schools
and neighbouring communities. Football brings everyone together and that’s
why FIC is so important for the development of South Kivu, DR Congo and
whole Africa.
My time at D R Congo has reinforced the way I live my life and what I stand
for. Doing volunteer work at Unity Festival in South kivu, DR Congo has
helped me to reach my goals. I believe everyone should experience what I’ve
experienced. The project FIC Sud Kivu, I am supporting is very special and I
am hoping everyone in the whole World will be donating and helping the
organisation FIC Sud Kivu to gradually improve and change the African
people’s lives forever.
This is one experience I will never ever forget. The memories and images in
my head will hopefully remain with me. As long as I am living I will continue
talking about FIC project, South Kivu in DR Congo Africa and its people. This
is just the beginning and I know FIC organisation has a bright future. Like the
African’s say ‘Matumaini bora kwa vijana wenye nguvu, mahungano na wa
herevu ( Swahili) Une jeunesse Forte, Unifiee et Consciente (French) A Hope
for a stronger Youth, Unified and Conscious (English)
I have to thank everyone who supported me from the Uk. I thank the man
who made my dream came true his guidance and support, travel all the way
through to DR Congo via Burundi in Africa, in person of Desbon Bushiri,
Founder and Coordinator, Football Inter-Communautaire (Football Between
Communities) FIC Sud Kivu. I would like also to thank FIC Workers in Baraka
and Uvira for their hospitality and support”. (By Sophina Hanif, Vonluteer,
Sheffield, Uk)

Thank you for those individuals, groups and organisations, at locally, nationally and
internationally levels whose have given their time, contribution and support to make this event
(Unity Festival) successful.

Pass accomplishments:
To pursue our goals, with a very limited financial capability, we have accomplished these
objectives in the recent past:

- Conducted workshops with youth centres on peace building, reconciliation and HIV
awareness.
- Support war and disease orphans with education in 3 primary schools in Baraka.
- Delivered physical and health education in schools and communities.
- Conducted in conjunction with local and national Medias to provide information on the
importance of peace building and development.
- Prepared dialogue, advocacy for street children and young people to become more
included in society.
 - Secured a space of 300 meters by 200 meters in Baraka, where will be built the FIC
project multi-Sports centre and offices.
- Organised major regional event (Sud Kivu Unity Festival)
- Managed to ship (Send) donated sport materials from the UK to FIC South Kivu, DR
Congo via Bujumbura-Burundi.

Problems and Limitations:

The FIC project has some limitations. These including:
- Limitations on infrastructures, equipments, materials, youth centres to deliver a
greater ranger of sport and cultural activities to meet the FIC project’s aim.
- Limitations on funding and training for youth and sports workers, volunteer youth
and sport workers will need basic training to handle activities implemented by FIC
project.
- Lack of funding to support disease and war orphans to attend school, South Kivu
Province, is one of DR Congo’s leading region in terms dramatically war conflict which
caused million of lives amongst women and children. 50% of young people between the
ages of 6-20 are orphans from war conflict and disease such as HIV and Malaria. School
infrastructures are deteriorated, 70% of young people are without access to education.
- Limitations on delivering activity programmes for street and working children
across the Province of Sud Kivu. As the Province is large, and the means of travelling are
very poor and costly, it is really difficult to travel with all the team of workers including
equipments. Different territorial locations for storage of equipments will be needed to
meet the need of these young people.
- Lack of funding to secure an ongoing major regional annual event (Unity Festival) to
celebrate regional unity through sports and cultural activities.

FIC future plans:

1. Working with SOS Village d’Enfants: FIC to develop, coordinate and deliver diverse
sport activities to orphans in different locations of SOS Village d’Enfants in Territories of
Baraka and Uvira.

2. FIC will continue to develop partnerships with other key players in the region,
including Programme Amani dans l’Est de la RDC (Peace Programme) this is the DR
Congo Government initiative for bringing Peace and Development in East DR Congo.
FIC will also develop partnerships with Lisped on the idea of le Reseau Africain de
Sports pour la Paix (The African Network of Sports for Peace). FIC project is looking
forward to collaborate with Right to Play and other organisations from outside Africa
which are intended to operate in the region.

3. FIC will organise a Running for Peace event, the South Kivu Marathon in Bukavu will
be a great opportunity for diverse local people and important event to celebrate Peace and
Unity. The event will probably take place between August and September. The FIC
project believes that, organise a such event in the heart of the Capital’s Province will
boost the peace building initiatives and bring massive impact on young people in terms of
media coverage and press. Funding will be needed for this important FIC project event
(South Kivu Marathon, Running for Peace)

FIC project, with a very limited financial capability has achieved an important level of
networking and partnership with local organisations, community leaders, faith organisations,
local radio stations, local football teams, local football associations and regional football
association. The FIC annual event (Unity Festival) has achieved an excellent profile which will
be of great benefit to future programmes.

All the team at FIC would like to thank you, individuals, groups and organisations, at locally,
nationally and internationally levels whose have given their time, contribution and support to
make this event (Unity Festival) successful. This was truly a team effort and FIC will continue to
deliver on its aims.

Desbon Bushiri
Coordinator, FIC asbl, Baraka, Sud Kivu, DR Congo
C/O Football Unites, Racism Divides
The Stables, Connexions Centre
Sharrow lane
Sheffield
S11 8AE

Phone: +44 114 255 3156, Fax: +44 114 255 7571
Mobile: +44 79 57 45 86 60
Email: footintercom@ymail.com