Eastern Congo Initiative

Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI) envisions an eastern Congo vibrant with abundant opportunities for economic and social development, where a robust civil society can flourish. We believe that local, community-based approaches are the key to creating a successful society. Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI) believes that local, community-based approaches create transformative impact and durable development in eastern Congo. We cultivate public and private partnerships alongside strategic advocacy to create new opportunities for the people of Congo. ECI works with communities in eastern Congo as they build a future towards good health, freedom, and prosperity for life. We believe that, shoulder to ... read more Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI) envisions an eastern Congo vibrant with abundant opportunities for economic and social development, where a robust civil society can flourish. We believe that local, community-based approaches are the key to creating a successful society. Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI) believes that local, community-based approaches create transformative impact and durable development in eastern Congo. We cultivate public and private partnerships alongside strategic advocacy to create new opportunities for the people of Congo. ECI works with communities in eastern Congo as they build a future towards good health, freedom, and prosperity for life. We believe that, shoulder to shoulder with Congolese innovators, we can revolutionize how the world thinks of humanitarian aid. Partnering with Congolese innovators, ECI increases awareness, attention and focus on the issues, finds locally led solutions then catalyzes investment, capacity building and market accessibility to create community-led, self-sustaining solutions. ECI's primary focus is through four pillars: Collaborative grant-making, Advocacy, Strengthening markets, and Asili social enterprise. Grant-making: Local organizations have always known their challenges and solutions best but were not receiving funding. ECI was founded to directly support their capacity and strengthen the network of services in the region. Advocacy: We advocated on behalf of the people of eastern Congo to raise public awareness and drive policy changes in the US. Strengthening markets: We introduced global stakeholders like Nespresso, Starbucks, Theo Chocolate and more to the abundance of eastern Congo, in turn revitalizing livelihoods and farming communities. Asili is reinventing humanitarian aid as startup capital for self-sustaining social enterprise businesses, delivering clean water, affordable health services and renewable energy, operated by and for the people who need them.