My Nonprofit Reviews

As an advisor for Congo Education Partners I see the commitment in board members to support the mission to provide education and training in the Congo rainforest - the heart of Africa. There is no overhead. The organization has provided scholarships, provided opportunities for women, and provided funding for classrooms and internet, among other tangible things.

The Congo rainforest is second in size only to the Amazon rainforest and the college works to develop graduates with skills needed to protect a region important in mitigating the effects of climate change. Your support is welcome and needed.

Many years ago, I took an African comparative politics class. It was the first time I learned anything about the continent. My professor was from Ghana and he told us a few facts about each country. I knew little about colonization, but I remember him telling us that the Belgian colonial rulers were brutal. I remember him describing the size of the country coupled with the fact that there were only 2 college educated people from the Congo at the time the Congolese were able declare their independence. Education saved me, so I’ve spent some time over the years wondering how the 11th largest country in the world could start off with only 2 college graduates. When I found out about Congo Education Partners (CEP) and their mission to provide education deep inside the Congo River Basin, I realized this was a chance to support someone else’s dream and started donating money. I have enjoyed learning more about Djolu Technical College and the area. I believe the college’s focus on the sciences helps the community build knowledge to protect and defend the carbon-rich Congo River Basin. I am also a big fan of women’s education CEP offers scholarships for women, too..

I’ve recently become a birder. I started exploring birds, birders and bird locations on EBird. Although the DR Congo has the 3rd highest bird species list in Africa with more than 1,000 species, the country has mostly only been birded along the edges; Tschaupa Province, where Djolu Technical College is located, only has one EBird checklist. And if you look birds common throughout Africa in any field guide, you’ll notice that it looks like those common birds don’t live in the center of Africa when there is simply little data about birds in the middle of Africa. To the contrary, the Congo basin likely has more birds and possibly is home to birds yet to be discovered. As a CEP volunteer I am working to coordinate an ornithology scholarship, and provide ornithology and general birding at Djolu Technical College. My hope is that current or format students are the ones that make these discoveries and help the world understand the intricate links between birds and habitat across their entire range. This is an exciting and important opportunity to build community awareness, education and support for birds in the Congo. I am hoping this project and training leads to jobs to benefit many.

I have enjoyed everyone I’ve worked with at Congo Education Partners. Albert Lokasola is tireless in his efforts to build a college in a part of the world that’s hard to get to. Ingrid Schulze and the rest of the CEP board have delivered to provide many scholarships, solar internet, and resources to expand the college. And CEP has delivered in culturally appropriate ways. I am humbled for the challenges and resolve to help see the school grow and the community thrive, so that the plants and animals may also thrive. I hope you will join us.