The Bon Pasteur programme puts the elimination of child labour at the heart of community development in the DRC, and has enabled thousands of girls and women from local communities to access the labour market and education, which has improved their income and living conditions.

As part of the programme, developed with the support of ERG, Bon Pasteur has provided free education and other initiatives in healthcare and nutrition to over 3,000 children. This has been further supported by the launch of the inaugural Bon Pasteur child protection centre in Kolwezi in 2019. The comprehensive facility equipped with 14 classrooms with capacity for around 1,000 children has also served as an important platform for families to learn about alternative livelihood opportunities in the region.

Benedikt Sobotka, CEO of Eurasian Resources Group, said: “This award is a reflection of the extraordinary work the Good Shepherd International Foundation and Bon Pasteur has carried out in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We are honoured to be part of this important initiative, which has helped advance gender equality and provide better outcomes for thousands in the DRC. We look forward to continuing our work with GSIF, which forms part of our wider commitment to strengthen the socioeconomic development of local communities across our operating regions and help eliminate child labour from the sector.”