Congo Leadership Initiative
Providing Training, Mentoring, and Monitoring for Young Entrepreneurs
Fast Facts
Democratic Republic of Congo
Ann McStay and Kermit Eck
2020, 2021, 2025
Job Training
How Congo Leadership Initiative (CLI) Is Making a Difference
CLI programs develop the next generation of leaders for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Participating young men and women are provided with needed educational opportunities and undergo rigorous training (50-hour program) in leadership and entrepreneurship.
Armed with these new skills, CLI graduates have gone on to launch over 450 small businesses that have benefitted local economies and provided much needed services. Just as importantly, graduating participants are prepared to assume leadership positions in government and community service.
What Congo Leadership Initiative Does
- Supports skill development for youth, focusing on building leadership and entrepreneurial skills.
- Provides educational training.
- Extends micro-loans and grants to spur economic and social change.
- Trains youth for jobs in the digital global economy.
- Creates leadership opportunities for CLI graduates to mentor upcoming youths participating in assorted CLI programs.
Initiatives Supported by Project Redwood
2020: $30,000 to support the pilot loan program and fund the purchase of mobile-based OZE software to provide additional monitoring and coaching of young entrepreneurs.
2021: $30,000 to provide no-penalty loans to 105 youth teams led by graduates of CLI’s leadership program, to support funding for enterprise creation, service project grants, and expense coverage for team mentoring meetings.
2025: $30,000 to cover development of training modules to equip 100 youth to obtain jobs in the digital global economy.