Eastern Congo Initiative

The Eastern Congo Initiative (ECI) is an American nonprofit founded in 2010 by actor and director Ben Affleck and businesswoman and philanthropist Whitney Williams. It was the first U.S.-based advocacy and grant-making organization to focus entirely on the people of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The idea took shape after Affleck's visits to the region, where he saw both the devastating impact of conflict and the resilience of local communities. He and Williams set out to build an organization that would shift the humanitarian model from outside aid to locally driven solutions.

ECI works across three main pillars: grant-making, advocacy, and programming. The grant-making arm provides funding and technical support to Congolese community-based organizations working on issues like health care access, child soldier reintegration, and women's empowerment. On the advocacy side, ECI brings Congolese voices to U.S. and international policymakers, with Affleck testifying before Congress five times and meeting with officials to push for diplomatic and financial support. The programming side includes flagship initiatives like Asili, a social enterprise delivering clean water and health services, and partnerships that connect Congolese coffee and cacao farmers to global markets.

The organization maintains a continuous presence in the DRC, with staff in Bukavu and a head office in Washington, D.C. Over the years, ECI has supported more than 70 local partners and reached over 52,000 direct beneficiaries. Its approach emphasizes transparency, local leadership, and long-term commitment, aiming to build a peaceful and economically viable Eastern Congo led by its own people. [edit]

ECI's mission is to elevate the voices of the Congolese people by promoting peace, resilience, and economic opportunity in one of the world's most resource-rich yet conflict-affected regions. The vision is a vibrant, peaceful, and self-reliant Eastern Congo where communities, especially women and youth, drive their own social and economic transformation. Core values include a community-driven approach, transparency and accountability, inclusive partnerships, empowerment of women and youth, and sustainability. [edit]

The Eastern Congo Initiative was co-founded in 2010 by Ben Affleck and Whitney Williams after Affleck's trips to eastern DRC. The region had been ravaged by decades of conflict, and traditional aid often failed to address root causes. Affleck and Williams wanted to create something different: an organization that would invest directly in local communities and amplify their voices globally.

From the start, ECI attracted high-profile supporters, including early investors like Howard Graham Buffett, Google, Laurene Powell Jobs, Pam Omidyar, and Cindy McCain. The organization began by disbursing grants to 23 community-based organizations working on issues from child soldier rehabilitation to basic health care. Over time, it expanded its focus to include economic development, particularly in agriculture.

In 2019, ECI acquired Asili, a social business providing water and healthcare services, and merged it into the organization in August 2020. That same year, Leno was installed as executive director. The merger allowed ECI to scale its impact, with plans to expand services to half a million people across ten zones in South Kivu and Uvira. Today, ECI continues to work with over 70 local partners, maintaining a presence in the DRC for 16 years. [edit]