Here's a glimpse of our methods and how we impact communities across the Congo:

Apprenticeship program in Aru, Congo

In 2016, we established an apprenticeship program to teach young women in the village how to sew. Participants are often young women from extremely poor families living in nearby villages. Most of them did not complete primary or secondary school. Once the apprentices have completed our sewing program, they are invited to take part in our annual business training. The technical skills and business education have them poised to leave behind a life of poverty and vulnerability by utilizing their newly cultivated sewing skills and implementing ethical and effective business skills.

Business training held annually at the Catholic Retreat Center in Auzi, Congo

Our business education partner, Alternativ, created an interactive, discussion-based Entrepreneurial Training Curriculum to be used in developing communities for the purpose of empowering communities to leave behind a life of poverty and vulnerability by learning to implement ethical and effective business skills.

The Business Training Enables Entrepreneurs To:

• Realize their freedom and ability to dream of a better future for themselves for the first time.

• Identify their capacity to utilize innate gifts and talents for the purpose of meeting family and community needs.

• Attain basic business management skills necessary to begin or expand existing enterprises sustainably.

• Understand the importance of ethical business practices, stewardship, money management, and generosity.

The Results: 

• Increase in profits of existing businesses by a minimum of 30% within one year.

• 30% of those without existing businesses begin first-time initiatives.

• 75% receiving necessary skills to begin a first time personal savings plan.

• 69% creating personal and business budgets.

• Share their newfound knowledge with at least six family members and friends.

• Develop and retain customers through excellent customer service and effective marketing.

In April 2014, our founder, Katie Hile met with ten local women to create the first-ever artisan cooperative in northeastern DRC. A cooperative is a group of individuals who voluntarily join together for shared economic, social, and cultural benefits. Our artisans continue to strengthen their creative talents by inviting new members every year and working together to meet the needs of their village.