In order to contribute to the strengthening of the YCW and to support the development of the plans and projections made by local leaders, the international YCW went to Congo Brazzaville. The field visit of the Pan-African leader to the Central African countries was an opportunity to intensify the organisational processes carried out by the young people in areas in and around Congo’s capital city.
The visit was an opportunity to observe the efforts and, above all, the commitment displayed by all leaders and young people involved in the formation and organisation of the movement. In 2023, the Brazzaville YCW developed an action and a technical training in computer science and computer graphics as part of a project. Many boys and girls benefited from this project by acquiring new skills for their professional development and job opportunities. This project stems directly from the review of life and analysis of the base groups’ reality, showing that the young people had limited access to decent employment and little training in computer skills.
During this visit, it was possible to follow up with the young people who were trained to reinforce their commitment towards the movement and the importance of the organisation. The evaluation allowed for a better understanding of the impact of the training for the young people involved. Indeed, thanks to the project, the YCW provided a valuable space to access better jobs, in a country where opportunities are scarce, most of the young workers in Brazzaville are in the informal - precarious - sector.
After more than eight months of technical training and youth leadership promotion, the movement continues to look for ways to motivate, raise the awareness of and organise more young people. Following the recent visit, an action campaign called "A Healthy Environment for Working Youth" was launched. The campaign aims to raise people's awareness about taking care of the environment in order to preserve their health, protect biodiversity and contribute to the well-being of their community. In addition, among the national YCW’s leaders are some young people working as street cleaners and therefore, one of the objectives is to strengthen the organisation of young people working in this sector and to raise awareness about the work they do within the society as well as and their living conditions.
The aim of this campaign is two-fold: strengthening the relationship between YCW Congo and the municipality of Brazzaville, and increasing visibility and strengthening the relationship with the Youth Consultative Council and civil society in general.
Despite the difficulties to fund the daily actions and the process coordination, the YCW Congo is always renewing itself and seeking to develop actions that stem directly from the life situation of the young workers, which not only offers a new perspective to the grassroots groups, but also creates a space to make the reality of Congolese youth visible, as well as their attempts to change the reality.
In Brazzaville, great enthusiasm could also be felt regarding the celebration of the IYCW’s centenary. Contact with YCW adults and activities are being strengthened, which gives a greater role to young people who are looking for a space to share and build better living conditions.