Background
For more than twenty years, towns and villages in the eastern part of the DRC have suffered extortions, killings, and sexual violence by armed groups and bandits. The number of violations have increased in the rural areas where the government army and UN forces are not visible.
As a result, the inhabitants of South Kivu Province have been fleeing their villages in search of safety, either in different villages or abroad. Governmental institutions and humanitarian agencies cannot reach the localities and villages due to insecurity created by the armed groups. People continue to die of hunger and diseases such as HIV, syphilis, and TB. The rate of prostitution has increased out of desperation to earn money for food and supplies. Even in the refugee camps, the food received from international organizations does not meet the need.
In 2014, Mr. Joseph Patience Mubake initiated a meeting with a few Congolese people at Kagembe-Malingumu to find possible solutions to these problems. Many key questions arose during that meeting: What can we do while human beings like us continue to die of hunger? Who can assist us? Where can our voice be heard? How can we organize ourselves to sort out the problems of hunger and malnutrition?
The participants agreed that Congolese must lead the effort and instantly supported the idea of creating OHED. They prioritized the fight against famine and poverty with the implementation of agriculture and livestock projects in rural areas. The success of those early efforts required charity, determination, and willingness from both OHED volunteers and the target communities. Mr. Joseph Patience Mubake continues to help lead OHED, now as its Executive Director.
LEADERSHIP:
OHED is governed by two bodies, all of which are Congolese:
• General Assembly (AG)
• Board of Directors (BoD)
The General Assembly (AG) consists of all full members of OHED, including those serving on the Board of Directors, and meets at least once each year to discuss, refine, and approve OHED’s work plan for the following year. The Board of Directors (BoD) manages OHED’s affairs while ensuring the success of its plans of action. Read more in OHED’s Bylaws.
OHED members are using campaigns for educating communities and bringing social and economic changes in operational zones. In addition, they consider a campaign as a well-thought out strategy that is organized around a specific goal, such as enhancing awareness, promoting skills, or launching a new development program. At OHED, good campaigns have a consistent theme, multiple customer touch points and are also measurable.
Members
OHED has two categories of members:
• Full members
• Supporting members
Full members actively support OHED, complete the application process, and pay its membership fees. Full members have the right to vote during General Assembly meetings.
Supporting members provide materials and/or financial support, but may not qualify for or have not yet applied to become full members. Supporting members do not have voting rights.
If you would like to join and support OHED, please contact us!
PLANNING AND ORGANIZING
Planning helps OHED members achieve better organized goals. In fact, the process begins with reviewing the current operations of the organization and identifying what needs should be improved operationally in the upcoming years. From there, planning at OHED involves envisioning the results the members want to achieve and determining the steps necessary to arrive at the intended destination or success.
Setting goals that challenge everyone to strive for better performance is one of the key aspects of the OHED processes. At OHED, goals are aggressive but realistic. Therefore, the organization members cannot allow themselves to become too satisfied with how they are currently doing.
OBJECTIVES
● To work for the social development of underprivileged individuals, social groups and communities in provinces of the DR Congo;
● To encourage healthcare development and peace promotion through community support;
● To assist in the process of social integration and personal realization of underprivileged children, young people who demobilized from armed groups and all other family members;
● To endorse the human rights and in particular the rights of children, women and elderly people;
● To encourage and popularize voluntary work for the interests of indigenous people and all other community groups.
The idea of creating OHED started progressively since 2007; it finally became materialized in 2014 after being identified in the Register of Non- Government Organizations in Bukavu town hall and in the Central Register of Non- Government Organizations at the office of Ministry of Justice. Now, OHED has got an official ‘Personnalité Juridique’ document issued in 2020 by the Central government in Kinshasa City. Therefore, it is a recognized national NGO which can conduct its activities in each province throughout the entire DR Congo.
The projects of OHED range from one-off humanitarian actions in response to a specific urgent need to long- term residential care and delivery of basic services to marginalized Congolese communities.
OHED members aim to help the most vulnerable groups of Congolese society and are carrying out education and development activities at different levels such as:
● Analysis and assessment of vulnerable community needs;
● Development of programs and strategies for the wellbeing of all;
● Women empowerment and development of local community skills through education;
● Interaction with key stakeholders and NGOs for conducting common programs;
● Care policies development, advocacies and expansion of ideas.
Since our conception in 2007 and its founding in 2014, OHED has taught thousands of our neighbors and other citizens how to overcome poverty, hunger, conflicts and diseases through self-reliance programs. As each family learns these skills, they pass them on to their children as well as to others in their towns and villages. We mean here that all of our projects are based on self-reliance, not as simple charity acts. For instance, instead of giving food, we teach our communities how to work hard and get their own meals.
OHED members respect diversity and work together for the promotion of charity and social cohesion.
OHED Bylaws