The Democratic Republic of the Congo was the first country in Sub-Saharan Africa where, from 1991 the IECD supported its local partner, the Congolese Centre for the Culture, Training and Development (Centre de culture, de formation et de développement – CECFOR), in the development of the reference private hospital, the Maternal and Child Care Centre (Centre Hospitalier Mère-Enfant – CHME) in Monkole.

Then, in 2006, the IECD committed to the Support Platform for Protection against Sickle Cell Disease (PAFOVED) in the fight against the first genetic disease in the world.

In order to meet the needs of a rural population living in great poverty, the IECD has focused on other sectors of activity, such as the Micro and Small Entreprise Support (VSE) in 2010 and the Family Farm Schools (FFS) in 2012.

In 2016, the Support to Small Enterprises programme focused on reaching new populations in new neighborhoods, in particular street vendors and women. The FFS Programme obtained official recognition of its training courses in 2016. Thus, the Family Farm Schools increased their visibility and strengthened their attractiveness among young people.

Finally, since 2023, the IECD has been working in consortium with ESSOR on the RELIEEF regional project – Renforcer l’Insertion par l’Emploi et l’Entrepreneuriat des Femmes – which aims to reduce gender inequalities in the integration of young people in 4 target countries: Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo.