History

The mission of Congo Restoration is to revitalize the Democratic Republic of Congo by restoring hope to women and children left vulnerable from decades of conflict and civil war.

Gorethy Nabushosi fled the DRC in 1997 when it became unsafe for her family (including six children ages 3 to 11) to stay there. As a well-known women’s rights attorney, she became a target of the combatants fighting to overthrow the Congolese government.  

In 2007, while the war still raged, a grade-school friend told Gorethy that her country needed her. So she went back.

She returned to find a country devastated by war. Starting with 30 children who had lost their parents to a rebel attack on their village, Gorethy did what she could to put the pieces back together. She took the children in, gave them a house, found caretakers, and Congo Restoration was born.

Today, most of the orphans are in their early 20s. As they finish secondary school, we send them to college if that is their desire.

From the original orphan program, Congo Restoration has grown into a transformative mission with the goal of  lifting up the women and children of Congo through education. 

In 2010, we started a sewing school to empower women. In 2017, we began funding college for our orphans and other young adults with the Congo Restoration Collegiate Scholars program. In 2019, we opened the Congo Restoration Girls School of Compassion — offering free primary school education.

We believe in the empowerment of education. We believe this is how the women and children of Eastern Congo change the trajectories of their lives, their family, their community, and their country.

The Orphans

The
Orphans

The story of Congo Restoration began with 30 children orphaned after militants raided their village

The Sewing School

The
Sewing School

The Congo Restoration Sewing School opened in 2010. To date, more than 850 women have graduated.

All Girls Primary School

All Girls
Primary School
Grades 1-6

The Congo Restoration Girls School of Compassion opened in 2019.

Collegiate Scholars

Collegiate
Scholars

Congo Restoration scholarships have funded a college education for 13 young adults.

Congo Restoration Board of Directors

Leadership

Dawn McMullan

Board Chair

Angela Lovell

Board secretary

Craig Wilbanks

Board Treasurer

Jill Allison Bryan

Megan Carlton

Kayla Arnold

Diana Dubois

Mira Mutumbo

Kristin Mallory

Debrianna Obara

Amanda Quicksall

Clare Stein

Tracy Wallace

Kris Hillburn Williams