HISTORY Maniema, located in the eastern center of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is a very

landlocked province. It is often forgotten by humanitarian operators around the world and the situation
of human rights and especially those of women is not very well known internationally. With regard to
the situation of women, in particular, they find themselves among the most marginalized people in this
part of the national territory. It is a simple tool in the hands of man. This situation is verified by the high
rate of violence against women and by a very low rate of school attendance for young girls. This is all
the more encouraged by the traditions, customs and certain religious convictions of the area. Due to this
worrying situation, a group of peasant women's associations, identified as having a certain ability to be
able to stimulate reflection and action among others and to propose an approach favoring active
participation of all other members of the community, motivated by the daily tragedies experienced by
the populations of Maniema in relation to human rights violations and abuses to which nature is a
victim, are formed as a Collective to make a significant contribution in their communities and thus carry
the voice of others beyond our borders. The Collective of Peasant Women for Development, “CFPD” in
acronym, was created on June 18, 2011. The factor which was at the basis of this creation was firstly: -
the situation described above; - the concern to contribute to strengthening the health system so that it
is accessible to the entire population and to promote the resilience of rural communities in the face of
epidemiological shocks; - awareness of the extent of deforestation, responsible for climate change, due
to ever greater growth in the production of charcoal and firewood under the effect of increasingly
strong demand of our populations who only depend on charcoal and firewood to meet their energy
needs;2) VALUES: At the CFPD, trust and honesty between people are a vital element for community
action. This requires great openness on our part and not just on others. We have always made an effort
to listen to how others feel about the way we work and we have always taken time to question our own
values, attitudes and beliefs. We have never stopped learning and the culture of excellence is our credo.