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Our organization


MIssion and Vision



Our mission is to empower Congolese women and children to bring about long-lasting positive social, emotional, physical and economical well-being for them and their communities.

Hear Congo’s vision is to realize a sustainable model of local support and lasting peace for the people of Congo through women's empowerment.


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Our History



In 2005, after witnessing the horrific consequences of the DR Congo’s decades-long war, Kaleba H. Ngoie-Kasongo began a small initiative to assist in the procurement of medical supplies and funding for school tuitions. In 2008, she founded HEAR CONGO, formerly called Shitowa, (a 501c(3) organization).

At its inception HEAR CONGO focused on humanitarian aid and worked in close collaboration with local and international hospitals, independent healthcare professionals, schools and organizations to provide assistance to the displaced population and women and girls survivors of sexual violence in the Eastern Congo and Haut Katanga regions of DRC. In 2012, HEAR CONGO broadened its vision to enable Congolese women to take ownership of their lives and futures both individually and through community programs. We learned early that the most effective approach was that of grassroots efforts, i.e. developing small projects that yield large impact.


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Project name: Medical Mission Mugunga III/Shasha, Internally Displaced Camps

Where: North Kivu, Eastern Congo

Partners: Project Congo, HEAL Africa, Tree of Life International

Objective: provide medical care to families of Internally Displaced

Impact: 200 families served

Project name: Medical missions to assist the vulnerable population in Bukavu at survivors of sexual violence

Where: South Kivu, Eastern Congo

Partners: Project Congo, St-Vincent Hospital, Tree of Life International

Objective: provide medical care to survivors of sexual violence

Impact: 100 women and 150 children served

Where: Lubumbashi, Haut Katanga

Partners: UN Higher Commission for Refugees, Province of Katanga

Objective: provide assistance and resettlement totheInternally Displaced population

Impact: more than 350 individuals resettled

Project name: Agriculture Project with focus on women and children,MASISI, Eastern Congo

Partners: HOLD, DRC

Objective: provide Economic Empowerment to women and teen mothers

Impact: 50 women and teen mothers produced crops for consumption and trade

Project name: Touscontre les violencessexuelles, Kimbaseke, Kinshasa

Partners: IDEA/ MONUSCO

Objective: Train women pairs educators to fight sexual violence, HIV and malaria and through campaign/women empowerment

Impact: more than 20,000 individuals were educated

Project name: Projet MAFUNZO

Partners: Fonds Social de TenkeFungurume Mining

Objective: Empower young men and women with job kills and leadership training for human and economic development in Tenke

Impact: on going project

Our Team



Kaleba H. Ngoie-Kasongo
Executive Director and Founder

US board and Volunteers


Vicky Sinahamu
Board member- Vice President

Tom Oglesby
Board member- Chief Legal adviser

Kari Fields
Board member- Fundraiser and support

Laura Cerwinske
Board member- Creative and editorial Director

Michele Kanama
Marketing Strategy and support

Aura Ordonez
Research and Data collection

Global Advisors


Robert Haans
Managing Director/IOS Partners

Dibab Saba Ishetu
Managing Director/Sonia Enterprise International Trading Group

Nicole Smith
Editor

Marie-Chantal Kanyinda
Executive Director, World Diamond Council


U.S. Advisory Committee Members


Rosana Bowman
Vice-President, United States Committee
for UN Women Miami Chapter

Dr. Yesim Darici
Director FIU Women Studies Center

Rosy Castro
Board member

Simone Dominique
Board member- Strategy Support and guidance

DR Congo Key Staff


Kinshasa (headqarters)
Francoise Mizerero
Lead Program Coordinator

Felix Bope
Lead accountant

Lubumbashi
Florence Myanda
Regional Coordinator

Tenke
Patrice Lubenga
Project manager

Partners