Charity Organizations in Democratic Republic of the Congo

Charity Organizations in Democratic Republic of the Congo

Charity organizations play a crucial role in addressing the complex challenges in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). These groups provide essential services to vulnerable populations, from street children to conflict survivors, and advocate for human rights in one of the world’s most resource-rich yet impoverished nations. Organizations like Congo Children Trust, Friends of the Congo, Oxfam, Action Kivu, and the Good Shepherd International Foundation focus on a variety of issues, including child welfare, education, peacebuilding, and combating exploitation in mining communities, all working toward a more just and prosperous future for the DRC.

Congo Children Trust

Congo Children Trust, through its Kimbilio project, provides vital support to vulnerable street children in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo. Each month, Kimbilio assists over 500 children with the aim of reuniting them with their families. The project offers an outreach center that provides food, healthcare, and emotional support, along with four homes that create a nurturing, family-like environment for children in their care. 

In addition, Kimbilio runs a purpose-built primary school, offering quality education to former street children and others whose families cannot afford to send them to school. This school provides hope and a path to a better future for many children who might otherwise lack access to education. Since its inception in 2009, Kimbilio has made a significant impact, reaching over 7,000 children. Congo Children Trust, a UK-registered charity, supports family reunification efforts, education, and vocational training in skills like sewing and hairdressing to help these children build sustainable futures.

Friends of the Congo (FOTC)

The Friends of the Congo (FOTC), founded in 2004, is a Washington, DC-based advocacy organization working in partnership with Congolese people to promote peaceful, lasting change in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), previously known as Zaire. As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, FOTC focuses on raising global awareness of the challenges facing the Congo and supporting local institutions in fostering peace and stability.

The organization’s mission is to increase global consciousness about the Congo’s struggles and empower Congolese initiatives to bring about sustainable change. FOTC envisions a future where the DRC is both peaceful and prosperous, with its citizens able to fully realize their vast human and natural potential.

Oxfam

Oxfam is an international organization comprising 19 branches, working in over 90 countries to tackle poverty through innovative and practical solutions. Since 1961, Oxfam has been active in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), currently operating in six provinces: North Kivu, South Kivu, Equateur, Ituri, Tanganyika, and Kasai. The organization focuses on humanitarian and development efforts, particularly in vulnerable communities, while also engaging in advocacy and influencing policies to drive change. 

Oxfam’s vision for the DRC is a society where both men and women have a greater ability to participate in decisions and policies that impact their lives, enjoy a responsible government, and gain access to resources that will improve their living standards. Their work emphasizes empowering local communities and promoting sustainable, long-term solutions to poverty.

Action Kivu

Action Kivu, in collaboration with the Congolese organization ABFEC, supports survivors of conflict in the South Kivu region of Congo. Founded on the belief that locally-driven and sustainable solutions empower change, the organization helps survivors of violence become agents of peace. Its entrepreneurial programs and the Congo Peace School are based in Mumosho, near Bukavu.

Action Kivu began in 2006, inspired by Amani Matabaro’s efforts to help his cousins, who were survivors of sexual violence. Amani, an educator, and his wife Amini, a seamstress, provided the women with sewing training and machines, allowing them to start their own businesses. As more survivors sought assistance, the Sewing Workshop, their first entrepreneurial program, was born. In 2008, Pamphile Muhigwa Mburugu, a financial expert, joined them, founding ABFEC to expand vocational training.

Good Shepherd International Foundation

The Good Shepherd International Foundation works to combat human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where two-thirds of the world’s cobalt—used in smartphone and electric vehicle batteries—is mined. In the ex-Katanga region, artisanal miners, including women, girls, and around 40,000 children, labor in hazardous conditions without protective equipment, earning less than a dollar a day. These miners are denied basic rights to healthcare, education, and protection, leading to a cycle of poverty and exploitation.

The foundation is dedicated to ending child labor in cobalt mining and promoting the rights of vulnerable groups in these communities. For nearly a decade, it has directly engaged with mining communities to break the cycle of violence and abuse, particularly against women and children. The organization has earned recognition as an effective non-governmental organization (NGO) in addressing the widespread human rights violations in the region.