By: Badylon Kawanda Bakiman : Journalist / DR Congo
In the heart of Kikwit, a bustling town in Kwilu province, southwest Democratic Republic of Congo, a quiet revolution is reshaping women’s futures. Here, women are harnessing the power of entrepreneurship and appropriate technology to build livelihoods, create jobs, and inspire the next generation—earning praise from human rights defenders and community leaders alike.
From onions to opportunity
For 30-year-old agricultural entrepreneur Myriam Mupepe, farming is more than a livelihood—it’s a classroom and a catalyst for change.
In 2019, she founded Organisation rurale pour le développement intégral (ORDI), an enterprise that employs five people and operates as both a commercial onion farm and an agricultural school.
“Each season, my five hectares produce between $3,500 and $5,000,” Myriam shares. “But the real innovation is training young girls and boys in onion growing—something not well developed in this part of the country.”
Every worker in her team is paid according to production, a system that empowers them to support their families. In recognition of her dynamism in women’s entrepreneurship, the Union congolaise des femmes des médias and the Dynamique de la jeunesse féminine congolaise awarded her a diploma of merit on July 31, 2025.
Sewing success stories
In Lukolela commune, Mireille Mpoko, 22, runs her own sewing workshop. Her creations, tailored with precision and flair, draw customers from across town. She often trains young girls eager to learn the craft.
“Although I’m single, I’m no longer dependent on my parents,” she says proudly. “I’ve become autonomous—and I’m showing others they can be too.”
A pharmacy with purpose
For Sophie Kayala, a mother of three, opportunity came in the form of a small pharmacy she established in 2018. Now employing two women, she sees it as both a source of income and a way to invest in her future.
“In Congo, there are many opportunities,” Sophie notes. “The women I employ are paid fairly, and there are no disputes.”
Technology meets tradition
Women’s empowerment in Kikwit is also thriving through appropriate local technology. Justine Kakesa, president of the Dynamique de la Jeunesse Féminine Congolaise (DJFC), oversees training for 150 young girls to make products like improved soaps, orange juice, and black shoe polish—skills that transform economic prospects.
“Thanks to what we produce and sell, I can pay for school fees, rent, clothing, and more,” she says. “These were impossible before I joined the appropriate technology circuit.”
At the nearby Kikwit 2 market, women’s stalls brim with locally made goods—samossas, breads, varnishes, tangawishi wine—each product a story of skill meeting demand.
“We make samossas three times a week, and each batch brings in about $60,” explains Rose Kate from the Association des Femmes pour le Développement. “It’s not just about profit—it’s about contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals, especially fighting hunger, poverty, and gender inequality.”
Scaling impact
The National Women’s Union (UNAF) in Kwilu province counts 90 women’s associations under its umbrella. Members produce everything from perfumes to liqueurs, cakes to margarine. UNAF secretary Marie-Josée Ikwomo says local cakes sell for a fraction of the cost of imported ones, making them both affordable and profitable.
Training is central to this success, stresses Célestine Lembagusala, president of the Réseau des femmes engagées de Kikwit (REFEKI). Since 2010, more than 70 women have become self-sufficient through these initiatives.
Champions of change
Human rights advocate Laurent Bwenia sees these women as vital drivers of local progress. “I can only congratulate them for their combined efforts,” he says. “They are actors in development, proving that empowerment and innovation go hand in hand.”
Across Kikwit, women are transforming challenges into opportunities—turning onions into income, fabrics into fashion, and local technology into lasting change. In doing so, they are not just building businesses; they are shaping a future where empowerment is homegrown and unstoppable.
