Our Beginning

Judy and Dick Anderson began working in Central Africa in 1972. Over time, they saw that foreign aid rarely produced long-term benefits. Deep, lasting change only came from the people living on the inside.

This drove a radical decision to work differently — to stop directing aid from the outside. It is more effective to support programs conceived and run by local leaders fostering change in their communities.

ACT for Congo works with proven local leaders that we know well. Some have partnered with us for decades.

Our first partnership

We partnered with a small clinic that became a teaching hospital in Goma called HEAL AFRICA. They specialized in treating war injuries specific to those common in Eastern Congo.

One injury is gynecologic fistula, which affects women because of sexual violence or when young women bear children before their bodies are grown. Treatment requires many surgeries and long hospitalizations — often several months for each surgery. We became aware that these women needed extensive personal support to return to life as strong members of their community and care for their families.

HEAL AFRICA is a Congolese-owned and -run teaching hospital to this day — and they no longer need our help.

ACT for Congo founding partners

While repairing fistula is important, prevention is better. It was clear to local leaders that many teen mothers were vulnerable and lived in poverty at the periphery of society. A multi-faceted approach was required to address their needs.

This led to a new startup called HOLD-DRC, whose first initiative was “Succeeding Together.” This was an integrated program of training and support to help single mothers develop the skills they need to survive. They became our founding partners when we incorporated as ACT for Congo.

Succeeding Together grew into an internationally recognized vocational school and national Center of Excellence.

Today

The vocational school operates still and HOLD-DRC no longer needs our help.

We continue to support Congolese leaders working in their communities on current needs without directing or owning their programs. And we will move on when they no longer need us.