Lutheran World Relief's work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Article from Lutheran World Relief

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a vast country of many resources yet has one of the highest rates of extreme poverty in the world where food insecurity and child malnutrition is severe. The country continues to face acute and complex humanitarian crises characterized by internal displacement and widespread insecurity, and its health system struggles to address the numerous public health crises in the country - from high children-under-five mortality rates to violence against women and girls to Ebola outbreaks.

Lutheran World Relief (LWR) has worked at the nexus of humanitarian assistance and rural economic development for over 70 years. In joining the Corus International family in 2020, we build on our fellow Corus organization IMA World Health's 25 years of work in the DRC to integrate our expertise in agriculture and food systems development and resilience-building ethos with their extensive health and in-country expertise and networks to innovate more holistic solutions to support the Congolese government and our local partners in achieving transformational change in the DRC.

Agriculture-led Economic Growth

Lutheran World Relief works with smallholder farmers to increase their food security and their participation in and income from agriculture values chains. We train farmers in climate smart agricultural practices, post-harvest processing and storage as well as in improved animal husbandry. We strengthen the capacity of cooperatives and unions that serve these farmers, through trainings in governance and financial management, facilitating joint negotiation of credit and other services, and boosting collective marketing and sales. 

GROUND UP INVESTING

As part of the Corus International family, Lutheran World Relief collaborates frequently with Corus' innovative venture impact investing arm, Ground Up Investing (GUI), to spur agriculture-led economic growth with patient capital. GUI invests capital with no immediate expectation of profiting in small agri-food and service provider businesses with the potential to increase financial opportunities for people in the community, strengthen the climate resilience of agricultural landscapes, and transform food systems. GUI frequently takes equity positions in early-stage companies while following with working capital facilities, providing agricultural and business management/marketing assistance when needed. This flexibility in capital provision and support is key for small and growing businesses in developing markets where few financing options exist. GUI often serves as the bridge to social lenders or traditional financiers. 

Some of GUI's investments include Latitude Trading Company, a cacao exporter and bean-to-bar chocolate maker that sources from 3,500 farmers, Biochar Life, an impact venture that incentivizes African farmers to convert crop waste into carbon-sequestering biochar, and Mountain Harvest, which exports specialty coffee sourced from over 2,000 farmers, in Uganda.

Climate Resilience

Lutheran World Relief works with rural communities to adapt to and mitigate the effects of a changing climate on their agriculture-based livelihoods. We emphasize environmental rehabilitation through the implementation of soil and water conservation works and watershed management on community land, as well as tree seedling production for community-led reforestation.

Humanitarian Assistance

Lutheran World Relief meets the immediate needs of IDPs and households affected by drought and food crises through food, material resource and cash assistance while providing the support they need to start, diversify, and strengthen livelihoods.