New opportunity: the cabbage business
When Glodie joined WINGS forCongolese Youth project in 2024, he saw an opportunity to learn and transform his future. Trained in business and life skills and supported to launch his own agro-business, he planted 1,100 cabbage seedlings on a plot of land just outside Goma, Capital of North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. His friend Prince, who hadn’t been selected for the project, joined him as a partner.
“Even though I wasn't part of the project, Glodie always shared what he learned,” says Prince. “We worked together every day, and I feel like I benefited too.
A harvest against all odds
In January 2025, Goma fell under the control of M23/AFC, plunging the city into a fragile state.
Insecurity surged, and unemployment soared as many well-paying jobs in national companies, public offices, and the airport/logistics sector vanished. Access to cash also became difficult, with most formal financial institutions shutting down.
Yet by February, against all odds, the determination of the two youths bore fruit: about 850 cabbage heads were ready for sale. Despite the economic downturn and falling market prices, Glodie managed to make a profit and has already reinvested in new crops such as amaranth and peppers.
“The profit gave me courage,” Glodie shares. “It showed me that even in a crisis, we can still move forward if we work together.”
Saving, supporting, succeeding
Thanks to WINGS for Congolese Youth project, Glodie joined a savings group of 20 young people. Each week, they contributed between 1,000 and 5,000 Congolese francs (0,50 - 1,50 euro). Though some members dropped out, 14 remain committed. Together, they’ve saved, supported each other during emergencies, and continued meeting regularly.
“We’re not just saving money,” Glodie explains. “We’re building something together:a future we believe in.”
Growing beyond the project
Prince’s involvement in Glodie’s business wasn’t planned, but it’s become a symbol of something bigger: how knowledge and support can ripple outward.
This also highlights a broader point: the measurable impact of such initiatives may extend well beyond direct participants, sometimes going unnoticed by conventional evaluations.
About the project
Glodie is one of hundreds of young people reached by WINGS for Congolese Youth, an initiative implemented by AVSI with support from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP). The project aims to equip Congolese youth with the skills and resources needed to build sustainable livelihoods, even in contexts of chronic instability.
Through life skills and business training, youth-led savings groups, and start-up capital, WINGS for Change is giving young people the wings to rise above adversity and shape their own future.
What the data shows
According to the 2025 WINGS for Youth Impact Report, the program has yielded measurable results. From the start to the end of the initiative, the employment rate among participants rose by 61%.
The increase was even more striking among young women, whose employment rate jumped 91%.
On average, revenues increased by 50%, and for those who were already practicing their new trade, daily earnings surged by 165%, rising above the $2.15/day poverty line. In parallel, 84% of participants joined savings and loan groups, compared to just 17% of the control group.
Gains weren’t just financial, young people also reported stronger self-confidence, greater leadership, and reduced feelings of stigma. The share of youth who saw themselves as community leaders rose from 25% to 40% among participants, while dropping among non-participants. These findings confirm that WINGS for Change is not only increasing livelihoods but also transforming how young people see themselves and their potential.
And if these are the measurable results, how many unexpected stories, like Prince’s, remain hidden behind the data?
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