Partnering with those most vulnerable to violence
Action Kivu, in partnership with the Congolese organization ABFEC, provides direct assistance to survivors of the ongoing conflict, giving them the tools to be agents of peace and change. It advocates homegrown and sustainable solutions by caring individuals. Our entrepreneurial programs and the Congo Peace School are located in Mumosho, a village outside of Bukavu, the capital city of South Kivu, a region of Congo that borders Rwanda.
Born from a single act of empathy
In 2006, Amani Matabaro’s cousins took refuge in his home after they were raped by Rwandan Interahamwe rebels. As an educator, Amani and his wife Amini wanted to find a way to provide a sense of purpose and self-worth for the women, as well as a way for them to sustain themselves economically. Making use of Amini’s expertise as a seamstress, they taught the women to sew, providing them with machines to start their own small businesses. When word spread about what Amani and Amini were doing for their cousins, other survivors of sexual violence asked for training, and the Sewing Workshop, our first entrepreneurial program, was born.
Meanwhile, Pamphile Muhigwa Mburugu had completed his university degree in Financial Management and Accounting and wanted to use this skillset to extend human rights for children and women. Learning that Amani and Amini were looking for ways to train women in vocational skills to earn income, he joined their team and founded ABFEC.
In 2008, when Rebecca Snavely and Catherine Haight read about the lives of women in Congo, they realized how much there was to learn, and how important it was to take action through work to support local, Congolese-led efforts. Catherine (Cate) reached out to journalist Kevin Sites, who had covered the conflict in Congo for Yahoo News. Kevin introduced Rebecca and Cate to Amani, and together they formed Action Kivu to raise awareness and funds in the United States to support ABFEC. Because of Action Kivu’s donors, Amani was able to expand his vocational training programs to include soap making, bread baking, basket weaving, organic farming, animal husbandry, and the Literacy Program, which, combined, have served over 300 women and girls previously denied a formal education. In 2018, partnering with the Dillon Henry Foundation, we finished construction on the Congo Peace School, providing a revolutionary education grounded in peace and nonviolence, with a nutritious meal program.
Action Kivu is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization (EIN/tax ID number: 27-3537799).
Your donations are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law.