Posted on Nov 28, 2013
By Baraka Kasali The Democratic Republic of Congo was once considered the breadbasket of central Africa, but due to war and insecurity the production of crops and farmer livelihoods have declined. Investment in creating income-generating opportunities is the fastest and most sustainable way to lift the Congolese people out of the cycle of poverty. Nearly […]
Posted on Oct 11, 2013
Today, on the International Day of the Girl, Eastern Congo Initiative is delighted to sign on to the Girl Declaration – a call to action to put girls at the heart of the post-2015 development agenda, asking world leaders to urgently address the plight of the 250 million girls worldwide who currently live in poverty and face discrimination.
Posted on Oct 10, 2013
Panzi Hospital’s inspirational founder and medical director, Dr. Denis Mukwege, has been nominated for the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize, with the results to be announced tomorrow, October 11 in Oslo. Dr. Mukwege has been a leading advocate for women’s rights in eastern Congo for decades, and has provided treatment to over 30,000 Congolese women who have been raped or attacked.
Posted on Aug 25, 2013
Today in Goma, Eastern Congo Initiative hosted the largest delegation of U.S. Senators ever to visit the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The delegation was led by Senators Lindsey Graham, the ranking Republican on the Appropriations subcommittee for State and Foreign Operations, and included Senators Saxby Chambliss, Roy Blunt, John Thune, Mike Johanns and John Barrasso. While in Goma, Senator Graham also sat down with ECI grantee Mutaani FM for an exclusive interview on his impressions from the visit and his hopes for the region.
Posted on Aug 14, 2013
In the DRC, one of the biggest obstacles to delivering effective support to community-based organizations is the “information gap,” a lack of precise information about these organizations and their capacity to meet the most pressing needs of their communities. Last year, in response to the challenge, and with the support of USAID, ECI conducted a landscape analysis of community-based organizations across Maniema, Orientale, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. The result is a report and online database of community-based organizations that gives policy leaders, investors and analysts insights into the work being done to create sustainable and successful change in Eastern Congo, straight from the Congolese people.
Posted on Dec 05, 2012
ECI has been proud to partner with Seattle-based Theo Chocolate to launch its first ever series of chocolate bars made entirely from Congolese cocoa. ECI Founder Ben Affleck appeared on CBS Sunday Morning with Theo Chocolate founder Joe Whinney. The segment illustrates the importance of creating a dependable export market with the partnership, in which […]
Posted on Nov 25, 2012
Following the escalating conflict in DRC, but unsure what to do? Learn, talk and share @EastCongoNews and on ECI’s Facebook page, or donate www.easterncongo.org/give. As the conflict in eastern Congo continues to escalate, many of our supporters have asked what they can do to get involved—how they can be a part of the solution. One […]
Posted on Jun 04, 2012
Bringing the Local Government Closer to the Population was the theme of a workshop organized by one of ECI’s partners - The Centre de Recherche sur l’Environnement la Démocratie et les Droits de l’Homme (CREDDHO), on May 26, 2012 in Goma. The workshop successfully brought elected provincial representatives together with their constituents to discuss issues affecting the community.
Posted on May 09, 2012
ECI’s Research & Outreach Officer, Leon Nkundwa, recently spend 15 days assessing and conducting due diligence on four potential ECI partners working in this remote region often threatened by the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA)
Posted on May 02, 2012
Being a mother isn’t easy. From the moment of conception, that child’s health, well-being, safety, and happiness, are paramount in the heart and mind of their mother.