Child Labour Remediation in DRC Cobalt Mines: MIP’s Story

MIP is currently receiving support through The Hub for Child Labour Prevention and Remediation’s child labour remediation programme.

Like most children in The Hub’s programme, she left school at a very young age to work and support her family. At the age of 11, she began workin in a mine, collecting minerals from the depots. Her work schedule was Monday to Saturday, from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., where she earned around 4 USD each day. 

MIP lives with both parents in the Kabila community in Kolwezi – the key copper and cobalt mining Hub in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). She is the oldest of five siblings, and at the outset of the programme, both MIP and her 10-year-old sister were out of school working in the mine. When The Hub’s team identified her as a child needing remediation, she had already been working since 2021.

The girl's father is an artisanal miner and the mother sells fish while caring for a new born. 

The Child Labour Remediation Programme

The agreed goal of the remediation is for MIP to be trained as a seamstress after continuing her academic schooling for another two years. MIP wants to continue to study and train to become the stylist she's always dreamed of.

MIP’s programme includes:

• A health check

• Reintegration into school

• A monthly living stipend to cover basic living expenses

• Vocational training and course kit, with all fees paid for

• Regular visits by the case manager

• School support for her siblings for one year to ensure they don’t engage in child labour instead

Outcomes

MIP’s participation in The Hub’s remediation programme has led to positive outcomes for her entire family: 

• She is in Grade 7 EB and scored 64% on her last exam, which she is proud of. 

• She’s in good health and is grateful to be in The Hub's remediation programme.

• Thanks to additional financial support, all of her siblings of school age are attending school.

• After some rest after giving birth to another sibling, the mother has been able to start selling fish to contribute to the family's income.

I'm going to finish my training and start sewing and making clothes for people in my city and community,” MIP said.

The girl does well at school. She's a model student and puts a lot of effort into her training,” said The Hub’s case manager responsible for MIP’s remediation programme.

About The Hub for Child Labour Prevention and Remediation

The Hub’s child labour remediation programme is supported by funding from the private sector and the Fair Cobalt Alliance. Launched in 2022 and managed by The Centre for Child Rights and Business, The Hub unites six local CSOs to provide targeted, long-term support for children engaged in the worst forms of child labour in artisanal copper and cobalt mining communities in the DRC. It collaborates with schools and the government to ensure alignment and sustainability. Its case manager training programme has established a robust local network of child rights practitioners, consisting of 29 accredited child labour remediation case managers. Furthermore, The Hub conducts regular training for local government departments, CSOs, and mining cooperatives on child labour prevention and remediation. 

Learn more at www.clrhub.org.