ACTION FOR INTEGRAL AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN DR CONGO AISD DR CONGO (ADID RD CONGO)

My name is Julie M. Mpembe, and I am originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I am the Founder of AISD DR CONGO (Action for Integral and Sustainable Development in DR Congo), a non-governmental organization based in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and recently officially registered in New York, USA. Through AISD DR CONGO, I have begun implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by establishing a Sustainable Development Center at our office in Kinshasa, the capital of DR Congo, as well as in our rural community of Ntand’Embelo in Mai-Ndombe Province. As part of this initiative, I teach children aged 6 to 12 years about the SDGs and assess their learning, awarding them a Master Certification in Sustainable Development as young SDG experts. In addition to SDG education, our organization implements several community-based programs, including literacy classes, mental health education, hygiene awareness, talent and skills development for girls and boys, youth soccer programs, computer training, after-school programs, childcare services, and senior citizen care programs. In our villages, communities face extreme challenges, including lack of electricity, inadequate healthcare facilities, poor road infrastructure, limited communication networks, lack of access to clean water, inadequate housing, and high levels of poverty across all social and human development sectors. Working alone under these conditions is extremely difficult, which is why, as the Founder, I strongly believe in working collectively through partnerships and collaboration. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has faced many challenges, and its people continue to endure significant hardship. Through AISD DR CONGO, we strive to improve the quality of life of vulnerable communities. Our core priorities are education, youth empowerment, senior citizens, and people with disabilities, with the goal of building a more inclusive, dignified, and sustainable future for all.