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IDEAS For Us - DRC

About This Branch

IDEAS For Us DRC was founded in 2015 as the first outreach program in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The branch was founded by Daniel Mastaki, based in Bukavu but extending projects throughout the country. With a focus in advancing sustainability, the branch has led projects such as planting trees, creating solar lanterns & water pumps, cleaning up trash, and creating community gardens. Through these projects, the branch intends to mobilize all members of the community to learn multifaceted solutions surrounding urban agriculture. IDEAS For Us DRC is connecting sustainable environmental education to local issues, allowing local residents to address problems head-on.

Environmental Challenges

  • Deforestation
  • Poor waste management
  • Illegal hunting
  • Agriculture on steep slopes and burning agriculture
  • Erosion
  • Water Pollution
  • Biodiversity Loss
  • Food Insecurity
  • Malnutrition

Get
Involved

Please reach out to Contact@ideasforus.org and we will connect you with the current leaders in their respective cities OR follow IDEAS For DRC on Facebook and Instagram to learn more.

Branch
Leaders

IDEAS For DRC and the subsequent branches are run by extraordinary individuals. Our country director is Eliode Bakole (pictured) and Daniel Mastaki.

Meet Our Branch Leaders

Support Action Projects in DRC

Project 1: Women Empowerment in Family Agriculture in Mugunga - Fleet Farming

Objective:  Help educate local women on sustainable home agriculture and fleet farming through the production of a community garden, and growing vegetables to combat issues of malnutrition and food insecurity.

 

 

Goal 1:  Introduce 40 women and young mothers to family agriculture, providing them with the knowledge to create their own home gardens.

 

Goal 2: Set up community gardens in Mugunga to facilitate access to fresh food to reduce rates of malnutrition and establish a food-secure future.

View the Full Project Proposal

Project 2: Sanitation in Schools

Objective: Although The Democratic Republic of Congo has over 50% of the continent’s water supply, only 52% of the population has access to an improved water source and 29% has access to improved sanitation facilities. This has increased outbreaks of  waterborne diseases such as malaria or cholera, and left the population of students especially vulnerable as they spend a large part of their days in education facilities with no clean water. The objective of this project is to provide adequate sanitation facilities and water sources at Institut Kashenyi in Kavumo, South Kivu province in Eastern DR Congo to mitigate waterborne diseases and ease students distress relating to access to clean water and adequate sanitation/hygiene in schools.

 

Goal 1: Improve access to clean water and sanitation through the installation of 3 toilets, 1 water tap, and 1 water tank.

 

Goal 2: Raise awareness on water and sanitation related diseases in Institut Kashenyi to prevent outbreaks in the school and surrounding community

View the Full Project Proposal

Project 3: Reforestation

Objective: Mining, agriculture, and logging have led to major deforestation, soil depletion, and declines in air quality in the Congo Basin. The second largest rainforest in the world is at risk of losing its biodiversity as well as the quality of life of the 80 million residents in this area. In order to combat this, our team has built an initiative that will aid the remaining forests in DRC and help replenish the land by planting large quantities of native tree species as a long-term sustainability solution to improve soil, water, and air quality, and overall rebuild the natural biodiversity.

 

Goal 1:  Carry out large-scale reforestation in Kavumu/South Kivu and Mugunga/North Kivu by planting 1,000 trees throughout the community. 

 

 

Goal 2: Mobilize and empower the Kamvumu/South Kivu and Mugunga/North Kivu communities by including students, women, and the youth.

 
View the Full Project Proposal

Events and Projects

Members of the IDEAS For Us DRC branch have been awarded multiple Solutions Fund Microgrants, utilizing the funding and mentorship to develop numerous SDG projects. Campaigns such as reforestation have been successful in engaging local communities in sustainable environmental action, combining social and economic issues with nature. Further projects have focused on empowering individuals through ecological employment, household garden programs, self-sufficiency, and access to clean sanitation facilities. The DRC branch enables rural communities to thrive through access to sustainable knowledge.

 

Partnerships with other local organizations:

CYNESA : Catholic Youth Network for Environmental Sustainability in Africa, Kenya Nairobi

www.cynesa.org

AGED : Action pour la Gestion de l’Environnement et le Développement Durable, Bukavu, DR Congo.

Mama’s Rhudosanye”  association.

www.agedcongo.blogspot.com

Success Stories

2014: 

  • IDEAS: Produced a learning kit in French, explaining the mission, vision, and objectives of IDEAS For Us
 

2015:

  • Reforestation Campaign: 500 trees planted at Camp SAIO
  • Reforestation Campaign: 3,000 trees planted at Saint Paul College, engaging more than 1100 students and teachers 
  • Women Empowerment: Accompanied women of ‘Rhudosanye Moms’ to Miti to learn to increase their income and protect the environment through  their activities 
 
2016: 
  •  Reforestation Campaign: 500 trees planted with 1700 girls at Wima highschool, engaging them in the process of environmental education
  • Reforestation Campaign: 1500 young trees planted in Buvaky and educating students on environmental action projects

2020:

  • HIVE Meeting: Discussed responsibility of youth in fight against COVID-19 and main environmental problems in the city of Goma, with possible solutions such as the cleaning of Lake Kivu
  • Cleanup: 15 meters of Lake Kivu were cleaned, removing 27 bags of waste. Educated local community on waste management looking towards the future
  • Agriculture: Constructed cages for farm animals and installed a garden of cabbages & eggplants in Nyangezi/South-Kivu to improve access to food and mitigate malnutrition
 

2021: 

  • Community Garden: Revamp of the garden space, cultivating a 25x25m area for cabbage & green peppers, and a 50x50m area for eggplant
  • Cleanup: 500m of shoreline cleaned up, removing an estimated 100 pounds of waste
  • Community Garden: Harvested 1000kgs of eggplants and transported 1248 cabbage seedlings
  • Community Garden: Planted 50 fruit trees and seeded 4 lots of the garden, covering 1 hectare of land
  • Reforestation Campaign: Project with One Tree Planted, 500 trees planted by the youth of the community, as well as educating them on the importance of reforestation
  • Community Garden: Harvested in the garden, producing 100kg of cabbage and feeding 200 families

2022:

  • Women Empowerment: Educated and trained women on agriculture activities, installing 40 gardens in homes with eggplant, amaranth, pumpkin, and green pepper seeds
  • Reforestation Campaign: 1000 trees planted with One Tree Planted during Earth Month Reforestation Project
  • Community Garden: 100 fruit trees planted in Muganga, producing oranges, mangoes, apples, lemons, and avocados
  • Community Garden: Expansion project that set up 5 nurseries housing 61,504 vegetables, such as beans, maize, sweet potatoes, eggplants, and carrots. The project included 25 women from the Association Maman Rudosanye
  • Reforestation Campaign: 160 trees planted for Plant A Tree Day Fruit Tree, engaging students, teachers, and IDEAS For Us volunteers. Educated the community on the importance of tree planting and maintenance. Trees planted included 30 Spathodea Campanulata, 30 Chamaerops Humilis trees, 20 plum trees, 20 avocado trees, 30 orange trees, and 30 mango trees

 

2023:

  • Reforestation Campaign: 600 trees planted in Walungu with assistance from 50 volunteers

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