In the DRC, women and girls face multiple vulnerabilities due to general insecurity, prevalence of sexual and domestic violence, high rates of poverty, and limited availability of resources and don’t have access to services. Women are disproportionally affected by these challenges due to inequality, and social, cultural, and political marginalization. FFC has seen the impact of grassroots organizations in effectively promoting women’s rights. However, these local initiatives faced many challenges in accessing funding
FFC was established in 2007 by Julienne Lusenge and a group of Congolese women to fund Congolese women’s groups that were not able to access funding through other sources. The idea was to create a proximity fund in order to bridge the gap between international donors and local women’s initiatives. The struggle of small or informal organizations to reach international donors can be explained by many factors such as strict funding regulations or heavy reporting requirements. Moreover, insecurity, lack of infrastructure and poor communication channels often discourage donors to work with groups in marginalized area of the country. That is where FFC comes in.Readmore
