Welcome to EDF-Kivu Portal
Founded in 1998 in Shabunda, in the heart of South Kivu, by Mrs. Machozi Shabani Marie Chantal, EDF-Kivu is an association committed to defending women’s rights, promoting girls’ education, and fighting against gender-based violence in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
We regularly publish information, testimonies and reports from the villages, in order to give a voice to the women of Kivu and to raise awareness of the realities they face.
Founder’s Message – Machozi Shabani Marie Chantal
 »When I founded Espoir et Dignité des Femmes du Kivu in 1998, it was in response to a painful reality: too many women were suffering in silence, and too many girls were being deprived of their future. I wanted to create a space where they would be heard, protected, and valued.
For more than twenty-five years, our association has stood alongside women in our villages, documenting their suffering, amplifying their voices, and supporting their struggles. Every girl who returns to school, every woman who regains her dignity, and every village that chooses peace reminds us why EDF-Kivu exists.
I invite you to join us in building a future where women in Kivu stand tall, free, and respected. Together, we can transform pain into strength, and hope into dignity.
For more than two decades, we have been working in often isolated villages to
✦ Protecting and supporting women victims of violence Through psychosocial, legal and community support.
✦ Encourage and support girls’ education Because education is a fundamental weapon against poverty, early marriage, and exploitation.
✦ Inform and raise awareness among communities Through publications, campaigns and community relays that report and document the realities on the ground.
✦ Strengthening female leadership By training women and girls to organize, undertake projects and defend their rights.