Union for the Emancipation of the Aboriginal Woman - L’Union pour l’Emancipation de la Femme Autochtone
There is a problem of marginalization, stigmatization of Pygmy women due to: their fragile economic status, lack of access to land, exclusion from basic economic services (including lack of access to credit services), and non-schooling of children. UEFA belives that a Pygmy woman can not claim and enjoy her rights until she has the financial means to do it.
Esperance created UEFA to channel lobbying and advocacy actions to combat the marginalization and discrimination of indigenous / Pygmy women. Since 1998, she has engaged in advocacy, legal capacity building, resilience and entrepreneurial activities (agri-business, economic activities, small businesses) to strengthen the socio-economic power of women and young people. To effectively circumvent access challenges in services financiers, in 2015, Esperance created a 1st microfinance company called BCECO Sarl giving women and youth credits at an interest rate of 1%. Her two organizations have helped give women access to land and promote South Kivu legislation that protects the rights of pygmies.