YES Leader : Mr. Joel Bayubasire Djanda
Email : jbayubasire@gmail.com, joel@yesweb.org
Website : YESDRCN

Vision : Creation of a better future for the DRC youth through inculcating business entrepreneurship, social entrepreneurship and community services.

Background : The rate of the poverty in DRC is 71.34%. The last armed conflicts in the DRC have sent more than 3.3 millions to death, while 3.4 million have been displaced. There are 30,000 child soldiers of which 3% are young girls. The Congolese young individuals and youthled organizations are full of ideas, willing to make a difference into their communities. However they lack leadership and entrepreneurship experiences and knowledge, micro credits, start up capital, mentoring and tutoring services.

About the Network : DRC Network is officially registered as a not for profit with the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The network is working to create the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders whose innovations and social enterprises address the major unmet needs of the people of the country.

Current Major Initiatives:

• Implementation of the YES DRC RADIO that promotes entrepreneurship and business skills of young people, which usually relies on training and face to face meetings.
• Impact Youth Business Centre that is providing training skills and small loans to help create self-employment in favor of 25 war affected boys and girls from Bukavu and its peripheries of which 16 participants have become successful entrepreneurs in the sector of IT ventures, Poultry farmers, cake making and dress-making.
• Implementation of the pilot livestock project for improvement of youth livelihoods and school fees of at least 25 war orphaned boys and girls.

Key Accomplishments :

• Planning for the 5th Global Youth Employment Summit - Rework the World meeting was held in DRC on May 12 – 13, 2009, as part of the global initiative to engage entrepreneurs, young leaders, investors, business managers and political decisionmakers of DRC into the process
• Building a youth entrepreneurship and sustainability network of 20 members including Government officials, Civil Society, UN agencies, youth-led organizations,
• Lobby with specific ministries (Labor and Social Protection, Youth and Sport) and some International organizations such as ILO, UNDP, World Bank, UNFPA for the adoption of National youth employment action plan
• Facilitation of youth participation in community development through a network of 15 young entrepreneurs working as change agents in their communities.