Mission

A classroom in rural DRCGiving Back to Africa (GBA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the long-term mission of educating young people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). In partnership with local Congolese educational institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), our goal is to empower GBA beneficiaries - through service-centered education - to become servant-leaders capable of taking control of their own lives while serving as change agents in their local communities and throughout the nation.

Vision

We are driven by the conviction that, despite its travails, the DRC still occupies a focal position in the Great Lakes region and the African continent, with the potential to be a model of sustainable development and good governance and to serve as a stabilizing core for the continent. GBA is dedicated to realizing this vision of a new DRC by networking with other NGOs and individuals who share our philosophy of investing in human capabilities by working with the Congolese in their effort to create a better future for themselves and posterity.

The Importance of Education

A classroom in DRC GBA recognizes that a good education is fundamental to strong individuals, communities, and nations because it empowers individuals to unlock their innate abilities and direct their own lives. Despite living in a nation of tremendous natural wealth, many Congolese experience excruciating poverty, which has only worsened during the country's recent civil conflicts. Such conditions severely limit Congolese students' opportunities to attain a good education. We are an organization devoted to investment in human beings, and we recognize the power of education to open opportunities for people to work towards the common good of Congolese society.

Values

As a development organization, Giving Back to Africa believes in the transformative power of educational programs anchored on the humanitarian philosophy of principled intervention. That belief is reflected in the following organizational values:

  • Service-centered education as a propeller of social change in DRC
  • Critical importance of accountability and transparency, both internally as an organization and externally in community-building
  • Centrality of individual capacity to the development of the broader community
  • Centrality of communal norms of partnership and shared leadership to effectiveness
  • Organizational commitment to cross-cultural awareness and tolerance through critical reflection and self-assessment