A shared lesson in safety and dignity
On a warm Saturday morning in Brazzaville, classrooms at Revolution-Gampo Olilou School complex filled with unusual anticipation as teenagers met activists from Iminou, a local NGO devoted to youth welfare. The gathering focused on naming, understanding and preventing violence that too often shadows school corridors.
Led by association president Bel-ange Massouemé, the session offered statistics, testimonies and practical advice rather than abstract concepts. “We want young people to feel empowered to speak out before damage is done,” she told the audience, her voice firm yet encouraging above the hum of ceiling fans.
Understanding gender-based violence in Congo schools
Facilitator Chadhy Nzila Kety opened with a clear definition of gender, then walked students through physical, verbal, psychological and digital forms of abuse. Each term was translated into everyday scenarios—a shove during recess, a rumour on WhatsApp, an unwanted remark about a girl’s body.
He warned that violence rarely appears from nowhere. Lack of respect for human rights, power imbalances, poverty, lingering conflict and even teacher misconduct can set the stage. When security is weak, he noted, “a classroom becomes an arena where frustration looks for the smallest provocation”.
Linking causes to daily realities
Students nodded when Kety linked alcohol abuse and hardship at home to aggressive behaviour at school. Some whispered about bus fights or insults flung at girls who arrive late. Tracing each cause, the facilitator argued that prevention begins long before a punch is thrown.
Then the discussion turned to consequences. Psychologists invited by Iminou described anxiety, depression and falling grades among victims. Witnesses too, they said, carry silent scars that surface as distrust. UNICEF’s 2009 survey found 73 percent of Congolese pupils had endured verbal abuse.
Health education widens the conversation
Iminou’s team refused to limit the workshop to gloom. Age-appropriate modules on puberty, menstrual health and stress management followed, demystifying topics often left to whispers. A nurse demonstrated how to create an inexpensive reusable pad, prompting boys and girls alike to lean forward with disarming curiosity.
Educator Micheline Kiamou stressed biology is never an excuse for discrimination. She urged students to share sanitary supplies and report any teacher refusing bathroom access. “Small solidarities build a culture where violence cannot grow,” she concluded, drawing applause.
Sixteen Days campaign energises schools
The workshop fell within Congo’s annual Sixteen Days of Activism, launched this year by Youth Advisory Council secretary Michrist Kaba Mboko. Standing beneath school-coloured banners, he reminded listeners that campaigns need follow-through and pledged institutional backing for student ideas.
He stressed schools must never become spaces of retribution or street vendettas. “Classrooms should compete only in academic excellence,” Mboko said, pledging to coordinate with security services where necessary. His remarks drew nods from teachers eager for reinforcement yet mindful of resource limits.
Partnerships for a safer learning space
Partnership lies at the centre of Iminou’s strategy. The NGO maintains hotlines linked to child-protection desks inside local police stations and collaborates with the Ministry of Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Education on case referrals. Such alignment, organisers argue, assures survivors discreet help without bureaucratic delays.
Lawyer Aurélie Mavoungou, who partners with the group, briefed students on new legal channels that allow minors to file complaints directly through guardians ad litem. She insisted no report is too small, noting that early intervention can prevent escalation into criminality.
The school’s guidance counsellor, Samuel Opimbat, expressed relief at what he called “a concrete roadmap”. He said staff often lacked clarity about referral pathways, leading to well-meaning but informal settlements. Standardised protocols, he believes, will protect teachers while giving children clear expectations.
Parents’ Committee chair Roseline Bemba shared another perspective: many households cannot effectively monitor online behaviour, making cyber-bullying hard to detect. She welcomed the idea of peer monitors trained to flag abusive chats and said the committee would seek modest funding for school-wide digital literacy drives.
While the programme targets students, organisers deliberately invited neighbourhood leaders so lessons ripple beyond campus. Pastor Joachim Ngoma noted that rival street crews often include drop-outs who once shared these classrooms. He plans to adapt the content for Sunday youth groups and evening sports clubs.
Students emerge as peer leaders
As discussion drew to a close, pupils formed circles to draft mini-campaigns: a mural contest, a drama sketch, a podcast segment in Lingala. Fifteen-year-old Christelle promised to start a “menstrual buddy” programme so no girl skips algebra because supplies ran out.
Sixteen-year-old Wilfried, once suspended for fighting, volunteered for peer mediation training. “I used to think punching proved respect,” he admitted softly. “Now I see real respect means keeping everyone safe.” His classmates clapped, a gesture both forgiving and expectant.
By late afternoon the chalkboards were covered with hashtags and hotline numbers, but the bigger imprint appeared on students’ faces—equal parts seriousness and resolve. If the Revolution-Gampo Olilou pilot spreads, organisers believe Congo’s schoolyards could gradually trade fear for solidarity, lesson by lesson.