Last year, we began partnering with the Jimbere Fund. Their work to mobilize women in rural communities of the Democratic Republic of Congo aligned perfectly with one of our five keys - Economic Empowerment. Our partnership resulted in the Minembwe Women Entrepreneurs Project, which aimed to train and finance 30 women entrepreneurs who would launch businesses that would directly impact approximately 210 people.
The project was fully funded and we were looking forward to hearing about the innovation and results that would follow. However in November of 2019 that all changed. We were informed by Obadias Ndaba, CEO and Founder of the Jimbere Fund, and Sandra Uwiringiyimana, Co-founder and Director of Partnerships and Communications, that the country which had been in deep conflict for several months was reaching a tipping point. More than 200,000 people had fled fighting in the South Kivu highlands as a long-simmering struggle over land, power, and citizenship descended into village burnings and widespread killings. The violence was centered on the remote mountainous areas of Minembwe and Itombwe, where the Banyamulenge, a cattle-herding group of Rwandan origin, had lived for many generations. A coalition of militias from those who consider themselves to be “indigenous Congolese” have been attacking the Banyamulenge. A combination of washed-out roads and insecurity had led many aid groups to scale back and only be able to provide limited assistance to the displaced.
Given these urgent circumstances, and on the request of Obadias and Sandra, we made the decision to shift the money planned for the Minembwe Women Entrepreneurs Project to purchase much-needed medicine and support for the remaining medical staff on the ground.
“And because no one from outside can ever have as current and nuanced an understanding as those within, foundations need to work with local partners who do have that knowledge, and who are given the flexibility to respond to changing conditions.”
- “No Easy Answers for International Grantmakers” by Ruth Levine
We recently received an extensive report from the Jimbere Fund detailing the activities from December to February, the medicines that had been airlifted and of the 985 patients who were consulted in the Minembwe Health Zone.
Whilst this particular conflict is ongoing and thousands remain displaced and hunkered down in their attempts to find safety, we remain committed to trusting our local partners and their knowledge. Our model has proven that we can be adaptable to the changes occurring around the globe. It will serve us well in the coming months ahead as we navigate the impact of a global pandemic reaching into every corner of our work.