African Leadership
Democratic Republic of Congo
Refugee & IDP Trauma Care
Pastor Training
Leadership Care
Community Development
Refugee & IDP Trauma Care Pastor Training Leadership Care Community Development
⚲ Goma, DRC
1,055 people impacted annually
African Leadership, DRC is present in one of the most unstable nations in the world. The conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) started in the 1990s, partly as a result of the Rwandan Genocide. After the genocide, many refugees and some armed groups moved into eastern Congo, stirring up ethnic tensions and conflict. For decades this has led to:
Conflict Deaths: 5.4 million conflict-related deaths occurred from 1998 to 2007, with ongoing violence today.
Displacement: Over 6 million people are internally displaced.
Poverty Rate: About 63% of the population lives below the poverty line.
Gender-based Violence: Thousands of cases of sexual violence reported annually - mainly in conflict zones.
Child Soldiers: At least 30,000 children have been forcibly recruited by armed groups in recent years.
Food Insecurity: Approximately 26 million people face acute food insecurity, contributing to one of the largest food crises globally.
Malnutrition: About 43% of children under 5 are stunted due to chronic malnutrition.
Disease Outbreaks: Outbreaks of diseases like Ebola, cholera, and measles, frequently occur due to limited healthcare access.
In the midst of this instability, local leaders sought to create opportunities to train and empower the people of Congo.
In 2017, African Leadership DRC was established to equip Congolese servant leaders, women, men, and children with knowledge and develop their skills to stimulate opportunities for change in churches and communities through education, and leadership training, and community development. Because of this intentional locally led development, LIVES ARE BEING CHANGED!Pastors are being trained to strengthen the global church
Men and women are creating small businesses in sectors such as healthcare and finance to literacy classes and trauma healing
“I have to teach them the way back to peace”
Meet Denis
It’s been a long time since his parents died, leaving him orphaned, afraid and alone; and he’s grateful that he’s not triggered anymore by the wails and sobs of these women and children.
Not so long ago, strangers could enter your village and be greeted with a smile and a warm meal. But today, things are different. Life in Congo is governed by another truth: brutality. Uncertainty and fear seem to have won. The active volcano that smolders in the distance is the perfect summation of today’s reality. War and Ebola lurk around the entire city of Goma.
But for Denis, today begins like every other day over the last 23 years. The spring in his step defies his 70 years of age, forcing his young staff to work hard just to keep up as he weaves his way through tarps, bamboo scaffolding, and corrugated tin.
“I have to teach them the way back to peace” he says to himself as his mind and body push him deeper into the extreme poverty of his community. “They are our future, the kings of tomorrow.”
Denis harnesses his strength, passion, and memory to invite others to the world he once knew and still believes is possible. He is training the future leaders of his community about leadership, values, and trauma healing. He’s teaching them the way back to peace, confident that someday, their wails and sobs – much like his own – will turn into action.
Denis is the engine of African Leadership in Congo. His leadership, strategic planning, and vision of what life can look like empowers a network of 9 country staff and board, more than 50 teachers and 500 students across 20 communities. His life’s work is giving future generations a taste of what life was like so many years ago – and what he believes it will be like again.
Denis has left a legacy in Goma that will be carried by his son, Jeremie, starting in 2025. We are thrilled for Jeremie to take on this role and walk in his calling. Jeremie has been mentored for years through African Leadership’s network of local leaders.