Banking for the Poor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
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Opportunity International President and CEO Kadita “A.T.” Tshibaka (right) meets with Dikembe Mutombo Foundation employees (center) and the local mayor (left) to discuss how Opportunity can partner with them to serve those living in poverty in the DRC.
“A single bracelet does not jingle,” states a Congolese proverb. With that idea in mind, the tone of Opportunity International’s recent trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo was one of cooperation. The microfinance organization realizes that without partnerships it will not be able to fully address the problem of poverty.
Half of the DRC’s 66.5 million people live on $1 per day. With painful poverty comes a host of serious problems for the Congolese people. Financial, health and social service organizations must work in tandem.
For this reason, Opportunity visited the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation (DMF) hospital in the DRC. A tour of the impressive facility and a meal with the staff further revealed that the two organizations have a shared vision. The patients to which the DMF Hospital provides healthcare are the very ones that Opportunity targets in its effort to alleviate poverty through savings, loans and insurance. Both organizations are committed to serve those living on less than $1 per day.
Opportunity International President and CEO, Kadita “A.T.” Tshibaka, also set up meetings with local churches such as the Evangelical Covenant Church in the DRC. He notes that “churches play a key role in advocating for the poor. We encouraged church leaders to partner with us as we serve our brothers and sisters in the D.R. Congo.”
Finally, the group met with other microfinance organizations. Rather than finding a competitive climate, Opportunity International discovered a great deal of support and encouragement. The organizations all share one common goal: to serve and empower the poor.
Without partnerships, organizations can only have a limited impact. Indeed, with the power of partnerships Opportunity International can be more than just a single bracelet in a country filled with agonizing poverty.
And the poor can receive a working chance.
To learn more about Opportunity’s commitment to providing microfinance solutions to the working poor in almost 30 countries, visit www.opportunity.org.
-Sonja Egeland Kelly, Opportunity International
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July 30, 2009 at 3:06 am
Nice article, but I didn’t learn anything from it. Would be nice to see some articles that have some meat to them.
Mark
July 30, 2009 at 9:47 am
Sonja, thanks so much for this excellent article on the ways that organizations are networking and reaching out to each other throughout Africa so that the positive impact of their efforts can be amplified for the People of Africa.
Let’s hope efforts like this will continue to grow and flourish! Please keep us updated on your efforts in the DRC and elsewhere.
Living Positively, debbie
http://www.mpwn-uganda.org
July 31, 2009 at 11:30 am
I would like to pose the question ( As an american who has lost work, and struggling to survive) What can be done to help the desperate poor in America> Mississippi, appalcahia, and the millions of families who are losing their homes, cannot feed their children, lost jobs and cannot survive? The poor in Brasil? can we widen our focus and help others?