KOLWEZI Democratic Republic of Congo, 17 February 2014 – A fish-farm. The idea started with the young men. One adolescent spoke to his friend about a fish-farm that he had seen in Katanga, a town nearby. They mentioned the business to a YEJ staff member. We thought it was a good idea and instigated a feasibility study on aquaculture in Kolwezi.
Based on this study, YEJ has just began to work with a group of young men and women in Domain Marial, a migrant settlement on the fringe of Kolwezi, to establish two fish ponds and a fish-smoking station. The fish ponds will supplement the meagre diets of the worker’s families, and bring employment and increased-income.
The enterprise will be led by the 35 young people who have been selected to work in the fishery. Under the grant to establish the ponds, supported by the Souter Charitable Trust, YEJ is training these young entrepreneurs in pond development management and cultivation, and fish smoking and salting techniques.
Once the fishery is self-sufficient and making a profit, YEJ will support the young people involved to expand their fishery and pass on their aquaculture training to other young people.
There is an immense market for fish in Kolwezi. Currently, native lake stocks are severely depleted and a significant proportion of fish is imported from South Africa. A local aquaculture industry will be able to provide dried, smoked and salt fish at a competitive price and will be more environmentally sustainable than current methods.
Please help us to support the young people in Kolwezi. £22 will help YEJ to purchase 20 kg worth of fingerlings (baby fish) to stock a fish pond. Please contribute on our donate page.