The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have suffered for years with war and ongoing violence.  War has made many men aggressive toward each other and against defenseless women.   Girls are taken from their families and forced into marriage, wives are taken from their husbands by evil men, and many others are tortured and raped.

Victims are abandoned by their families, often leaving them with no means to support themselves.  Others have fled, abandoning their homes and jobs, and live in camps without any source of income.

Women and girls have limited educational or employment opportunities due to the societal preference for men in these areas.  Girls are forced to stop their education because schools prefer boys to girls, and they are denied enrollment.  A large number of girls over age 16 have not completed primary school.

While the church is unable to prevent the violent attacks or quickly change culture based discrimination, it is called to offer hope and support to victims by providing medical care, food, clothing, education assistance, shelter, and counseling to these women and girls.  In response to their plight, the Union of Baptist Churches is working to provide skills training, educational assistance, and material support.

UBC provides training in sewing and tailoring and basket weaving, as well as agricultural training for farming and raising poultry.  These programs allow women to obtain skills than enable them to provide services or produce goods to sell to earn income for their families.

UBC also operates 14 Christian primary schools and 4 Christian secondary schools allowing boys and girls to receive the education they need to be successful, all while learning about the love of Jesus.

Their goal is to enhance the spiritual, economic, and leadership capabilities of women and girls, to facilitate economic self-sufficiency, and to build self-esteem and self-worth among the abused women of the DR Congo and Rwanda.