Our Mission
Congo Leadership Initiative is a 501(c)3 organization developing the next generation of leaders to be catalysts for peace and prosperity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
We know that DR Congo’s bright future will come from the innovations, talents, and dedication of the Congolese people themselves. This is why we empower DR Congo’s young people to harness their influence and abilities to drive economic and social change across the country. Through our programs, we develop a network of young men and women who become extraordinary and selfless leaders for DR Congo.
Meet our team.
What We Do
Our flagship Leadership Institute — a 50-hour program that uses a combination of theory and practice-based training — equips Congolese youth with a range of skills related to leadership and entrepreneurship.
CLI also partners with other organizations to include our unique brand of character-based leadership and entrepreneurship training as part of larger aid programs. This way, we ensure that international development moves beyond simply giving aid and instead empowers local leaders to bring about permanent change in their communities.
Why DR Congo
DR Congo has severe need and tremendous potential. The DRC is often listed at the bottom of the United Nation’s Human Development Index due to a history of poor leadership, violent conflict, human rights abuses, and natural disasters.
In fact, if you look at just about any indicator — poverty levels, child mortality, literacy rates, and life expectancy — you’ll see that the DRC has its challenges. But what these indicators won’t tell you is that there’s more to this country than scary statistics and constant crises.
The Congolese people are bright, ambitious, creative, proud, and brimming with hope for the future of their country. We work in DR Congo because we want to see it become what the Congolese people dream it can become.
Our Timeline
A decade of progress in the Congo
CLI was founded in 2010 by our co-founders Nate Houghton, Emmanuel Baraka, and Robert Kumkum.
CLI began with a single, week-long workshop for 8 girls and 8 boys in Kinshasa. We’ve grown significantly since then:
Where We Want to Go
Lasting development begins with local leadership
Congo Leadership Initiative provides training for Congolese youth as we prove a new model of international development.
The youth we work with become ongoing sources of radical social change and economic development in their communities.
We have a bold plan to partner with local organizations and increase the number of training sites and youth involved in our programs. We have seen the positive ripple effect of our work on the lives of the young leaders, their families, and communities. We are also building a dynamic community of alumni who are sparking change in the Congo and serving as mentors for our current participants.