# Eastern Congo Initiative

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## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://easterncongo.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [News & Insights](https://easterncongo.org/blog/)
- [Women Rebuilding Kalehe](https://easterncongo.org/women-rebuilding-kalehe/): Women rebuilding Kalehe are restoring livelihoods through VSLAs, farming, and small livestock after the 2023 landslides in eastern Congo.
- [Bushushu and Nyamukubi Recovery After Landslides](https://easterncongo.org/bushushu-nyamukubi-recovery/): Support Bushushu and Nyamukubi recovery after the 2023 landslides through school meals, care, livelihoods, and local resilience.
- [The River Monthly Donors Supporting Eastern Congo](https://easterncongo.org/women-rebuilding-kalehe-through-local-recovery/): Join The River monthly donors and help ECI support Congolese-led projects that build stability, dignity, and long-term change.
- [Amidst Crisis, A Case for Development](https://easterncongo.org/amidst-crisis-a-case-for-durable-development/): Minova, an agricultural and fishing village in the Kahele territory in Democratic Republic of the Congo, has long served as a “city of refuge” for internally displaced people (IDPs) escaping violence in the region. Rwandans fleeing genocide in 1994, Congolese from Masisi through the late 90s, and now an increasing number of IDPs seek safety
- [Mugoli Program Nyiragongo: Giving Women a Chance to Start Again](https://easterncongo.org/the-mugoli-program/): The Mugoli Program helps women in Nyiragongo rebuild livelihoods through corn flour sales, savings groups, and microcredit.
- [Nabintu – From Waste Collector to Eco-Entrepreneur](https://easterncongo.org/nabintu-from-waste-collector-to-eco-entrepreneur/): Five years ago, Nabintu, a mother of two from Mumosho, struggled to find stable employment. Opportunities for women in waste management were almost nonexistent, and the informal sector offered only meager, irregular income. “I remember the piles of waste in the streets and the way people looked at me when I said I wanted to
- [The Congo Illustrates The Power Of Education Through Global Collaboration](https://easterncongo.org/forbes22/)
- [I know firsthand how international aid fails refugees. Here's how we can fix it.](https://easterncongo.org/5waystoimprove/): ECI's executive director has experienced international aid as both a refugee and a humanitarian professional. Hear his insights on where we need to improve.
- [MAMA Radio reaching out to 7.2 million people](https://easterncongo.org/mama-radio-7m/): Women and girls across social classes in DRC have long voiced their need for a channel to learn about gender-related issues and make their voices heard by the general public. Since its establishment in 2016, MAMA_Radio (AFEM) has been a community radio station that places gender inclusiveness and equity at the forefront of its innovative
- [Edmond – From Small Farmer to Poultry Entrepreneur](https://easterncongo.org/edmond-from-small-farmer-to-poultry-entrepreneur/): Before May 2025, Edmond lived in Minova with his wife and four children. Coming from a family of small-scale farmers, he cultivated a few plots and raised local chickens for subsistence. His poultry faced high chick mortality, poor-quality breeds, and lack of technical guidance, resulting in low and irregular income that limited his family’s living
- [Feza Lwango – Empowering Women Through Economic Support](https://easterncongo.org/feza-lwango-empowering-women-through-economic-support/): As part of our coverage on community economic empowerment initiatives, we met Madame Feza Lwango Mamy, a member of the AVEC group Bololoke in Kabare. Her group benefited from the Women and Youth Socio-Economic Empowerment Project, supported by Eastern Congo Initiative.Through this initiative, designed to address local economic challenges, members received interest-free credits and high-quality
- [How do you forge a path for yourself to make a positive impact on the world?](https://easterncongo.org/how-do-you-forge-a-path-for-yourself-to-make-a-positive-impact-on-the-world/)
- [The 700 Fisherwomen of Katana](https://easterncongo.org/fisherwomen/): Following devastating flooding, a group of women led by Her Majesty the Mwamikazi came forward with an idea. Many women had lost their spouses, business, and land in the flood, and now needed ways to provide their families. If the fishing cooperative could improve their productivity in catching sambaza (small fish from Lake Kivu), they
- [Break Barriers, Raise Expectations on Primary Healthcare](https://easterncongo.org/break-barriers-raise-expectations-on-primary-healthcare/): The DRC faces steep challenges in access to primary healthcare, this can especially be seen in the Kivus. Every year on April 7th, humanity celebrates World Health Day; this year, the 75th anniversary is calling for “Health for All”. On this day, ECI highlights the need for equitable access, innovating ways to overcome barriers and
- [A Future Where Buildings are Safe](https://easterncongo.org/a-future-where-buildings-are-safe/): NTC knew they could build better, safer, and more sustainable buildings. Two years in, now everyone else knows, too.

## Pages

- [Home](https://easterncongo.org/): It’s time to change aid, for good.​ Congo faces some of the world’s toughest challenges. Help address these challenges by investing in the ingenuity, leadership, and resilience of the people living them. Donate now Watch the video Make Your Mark. Change a Life. Donate now Become a Volunteer Small Acts Big Impact Donate now Become
- [Board of Directors](https://easterncongo.org/board-of-directors/): Meet the Eastern Congo Initiative Board of Directors, whose leadership and strategic guidance advance sustainable, locally led change in eastern DRC.
- [Collaborative Grantmaking](https://easterncongo.org/collaborative-grantmaking/): Collaborative Grantmaking Congolese communities choose resilience everyday. We support their work through impactful funding. The world’s greatest challenges will be solved by those living with them everyday. Since 2010, we’ve funded directly 73 nonprofit organisation, companies and cooperatives. Today, we continue to directly fund projects in North and South Kivu focused on women’s empowerment and economic development. Humanitarian
- [Our Story](https://easterncongo.org/our-story/): Our Story We saw local leaders doing the best work.But they weren’t getting funding–until now. Founded in 2010, inspired by visits to eastern Congo by Ben Affleck, and moved by the resilience of Congolese communities despite ongoing conflict, Ben Affleck and Whitney Williams set out to create an organization that would elevate local solutions. Together,
- [Our Team](https://easterncongo.org/our-people/): Meet the Eastern Congo Initiative team—dedicated professionals supporting Congolese-led solutions and lasting change across eastern DRC.
- [Ways to give](https://easterncongo.org/ways-to-give/): Ways to give Home Ways to give General donation With your support, ECI can strengthen community-driven initiatives, expand access to quality education and essential services, build local capacity, and create sustainable opportunities for vulnerable communities. Even a modest contribution can generate lasting impact. Make your gift today Join our Recurring Donor Community, The River The
- [Our Work](https://easterncongo.org/our-work/): Our Work Building Resilient Communities in Eastern Congo For more than 16 years, ECI has invested in the leadership, innovation, and resilience of communities in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. By supporting locally led organizations, we expand access to essential services, strengthen economic opportunities, and advance justice in one of the world’s most complex
- [Advocacy](https://easterncongo.org/advocacy/): Advocacy We believe that local, community-based approaches are the key to a successful society in eastern Congo. We also believe that current aid structures aren’t working as effectively or efficiently as needed for communities to thrive. If we are to see a shift in Congo’s self-sustainability, international power imbalances need to be addressed, the global
- [Get Involved Today](https://easterncongo.org/fundraise/)
- [Contact Us](https://easterncongo.org/contact-us/)

## Categories

- [Uncategorized](https://easterncongo.org/category/uncategorized/)
- [News & Insights](https://easterncongo.org/category/news-insights/)
- [Women Empowerment](https://easterncongo.org/category/impact-funding/powerful-women/)
- [Economic Development](https://easterncongo.org/category/impact-funding/econ-dev/)
- [Impact Funding](https://easterncongo.org/category/impact-funding/)
- [Impact Stories](https://easterncongo.org/category/impact-stories/)