Women rebuilding Kalehe are at the heart of a local recovery effort that began after the deadly landslides of May 2023. The disaster struck Bushushu and Nyamukubi, two communities in Kalehe territory, South Kivu. It destroyed homes, farmland, and livelihoods.
As a result, hundreds of families struggled to access food. Women carried much of the recovery burden at home, while also helping their communities move forward.
However, the story of women rebuilding Kalehe is not only about loss. It is also about local leadership, practical support, and the slow rebuilding of dignity after crisis.
In response, Eastern Congo Initiative supported a local recovery effort. The goal was clear: help women restart income-generating activities. This work led to Amka Mama Congo, a women-led initiative that uses Village Savings and Loan Associations, also known as VSLAs. These groups help members save together. They also give women access to small loans. With this support, families can restart small activities.
For more context on ECI’s broader community-based approach, see our approch.
Women Rebuilding Kalehe Through VSLAs
At the heart of Amka Mama Congo is a clear idea: recovery becomes stronger when women have the tools to restart economic activity. Therefore, the program focused on practical support. It strengthened existing VSLAs. It also helped families restart farming and small livestock activities..
In practice, this means women are not only receiving short-term support. Instead, they are rebuilding systems that can continue beyond the first phase of emergency response. For example, access to seeds allows a family to restart food production, while small livestock can create a source of income that grows over time.
By September 2025, Amka Mama Congo had reached 50 VSLAs, supporting 950 women and 300 men. These numbers matter because they show that the initiative is not isolated. It is becoming a community structure for recovery.
Recovery in a Difficult Context
The work has not been easy. In 2025, the security situation in eastern Congo worsened, local markets shrank, and purchasing power declined. As a result, many families faced more pressure just as they were trying to rebuild.
At the same time, Amka Mama Congo groups continued their activities. This resilience is important because it shows what locally rooted initiatives can do, even when the broader environment remains unstable. Beyond that, it reminds us that recovery is not only about infrastructure or emergency aid. It is also about trust, organization, and the ability of communities to keep moving forward.
The situation in eastern DRC remains difficult. Many families still face insecurity, low income, and limited access to markets. Additional background can be found through UNHCR’s DR Congo emergency page and the World Bank’s DRC overview.
Investing in Women, Investing in Stability
As we mark the month of women’s leadership and rights, ECI reaffirms a undeniable truth: investing in women economically is an investment in community stability.
When women can save, borrow, farm, and trade, the whole community benefits. Children eat better, small businesses restart, and local markets regain activity. Moreover, women’s leadership brings more trust and order to local recovery.
Amka Mama Congo shows that even after crisis, communities can transform resilience into renewal. However, this transformation requires consistent support. It requires partners who understand that recovery is not instant and that dignity is rebuilt through practical action.
Be Part of the Change
Supporting women rebuilding Kalehe can make a tangible difference.
- $15 provides 5 kg of bean seeds to help a family restart production and access local markets
- $35 provides 1 rooster and 2 hens to help a household rebuild income through small livestock farming
- $100 strengthens a VSLA and helps transform it into a stable, resilient economic structure.
Ultimately, your support helps women rebuild livelihoods, restore food security, and strengthen the future of Kalehe.
Your support can help women and families continue rebuilding their lives with dignity and resilience.
