Posted on Jul 14, 2023
South Kivu, July 10, 2023 By Josué Musole South Kivu: It was during the first entrepreneurial fair called “Indépendance Cha Cha” in Bukavu that Mr. Bokoum spoke to an audience of entrepreneurs and media professionals. According to him, Eastern Congo Initiative fully supports entrepreneurs to make significant progress in their respective business sectors. Of course, […]
Posted on May 08, 2023
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. MAMA RADIO does just that. MAMA Radio is on its way to broadcasting to 7.2 million people in South Kivu, DRC Women and girls across social classes in DRC […]
Posted on May 08, 2023
Two years in, now everyone else knows they can too. Walking around Goma, Christian Mbuzukongira Maseleri frequently noticed cracks in buildings across the city. Occasionally, these buildings collapse or fires break out. The seismic nature of the city only made things worse, with earthquakes often rendering houses uninhabitable. With a passion for engineering, young Christian […]
Posted on Sep 14, 2020
Every day, in defiance of the law, Congolese women are driven away from land that rightfully belongs to them — sometimes by neighbors, often by their own families, and too often with impunity. “Women’s access to land remains an enormous challenge in Congolese society, particularly in the eastern DRC,” explains Me Aline Bahati, attorney and […]
Posted on Aug 21, 2020
"Offering a new model for 21st century NGOs, Asili combines big-picture thinking and individual understanding." — Prof. Jeanne M. Liedtka, UVA Darden
Posted on Aug 20, 2020
"The ECI-Asili merger, while still a work in progress, offers a useful perspective for any philanthropy that sees an opportunity to have more impact." — Kris Putnam-Walkerley, Forbes
Posted on Aug 19, 2020
This is a big week for Eastern Congo Initiative. We’re officially announcing our acquisition of the Asili business model. Nespresso is releasing a new single-origin coffee grown exclusively by our partner co-ops in South Kivu. And the work we do with public and private partnerships is receiving a prestigious honor.
Posted on Aug 19, 2020
Today Nespresso is launching a new organic single-origin coffee, grown exclusively by ECI’s partner Congolese cooperatives. At the heart of this partnership is Asili, ECI's new and transformative platform for social enterprise.
Posted on May 19, 2020
Months ago, Un Jour Nouveau (UJN), a local community organization in the Congo, was planning to use $500 in capital from ECI to strengthen their dressmaking program, a social enterprise that helps women in North Kivu uplift their communities with training in business, leadership and in-demand skills. UJN planned to use half the money to set up a display of students’ handmade clothing at the 2020 Women Of Congo exhibition, and to use the other $250 to buy fabric and supplies. As the pandemic overtook their plans, the women’s entrepreneurial agility transformed that $500 grant into infinitely more.
Posted on Feb 20, 2020
I am writing to you from Bukavu, where the year is off to a busy start. Congo has been going through an Ebola outbreak, but I am happy to say it seems to be under control. The new government of President Félix Tshisekedi is reaching out to the governments of Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi — a promising start to the healing of old wounds in our region. Meanwhile, we are expecting Monusco, the UN peacekeeping force in DRC, to step down their troop levels. We’re keeping an eye on the situation, which has the potential to affect the economy and security of some of our partners...