Democratic Republic of Congo - Startup under 3 years old

Describe your project or startup in a few words

Umoja Sport is a nonprofit organization operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo whose mission is to create a safe and thriving community for everyone through sport, education, and economic empowerment.

01.01 Describe your startup in more detail

Umoja, meaning "Unity" in Swahili, is the guiding principle behind this transformative organization. By harnessing the power of sports, particularly football, Umoja Sport brings community members together to address pressing social issues hindering sustainable development. Aligning our work with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, our vision is to contribute actively to a thriving and resilient Congo, where young people have equitable access to education and are empowered to solve community challenges innovatively. Umoja Sport's three-pronged approach includes: 1. Sport for Development: Using sports to foster personal growth and catalyze social change through the development of essential life skills. 2. Education: Integrating educational modules and awareness campaigns into sports-based activities to provide participants with knowledge and skills for sustainable development. 3. Economic Empowerment: Implementing programs that unlock the entrepreneurial potential of young people.

01.02 What is the main problem you are trying to solve?

The education rate in the DRC is among the lowest in Africa, resulting in a high level of poverty, criminality, unemployment, ignorance of health issues, and climate change. Umoja Sport was established in response to this issue.

01.03 Tell us the major benefits and/or advantages of using the product/service that your startup provides (at least 3).

Sport: Sports for development provide opportunities for social interaction, building relationships, and developing important skills like communication, leadership, cooperation, conflict resolution, and the promotion of education. This can help build a sense of community and belonging. Sports programs bring together diverse members of the community, fostering connections, understanding, and a sense of shared purpose. This can lead to increased civic engagement and community empowerment. For out-of-school youth and young mothers, our comprehensive educational program goes beyond traditional academics. It provides a full cycle of education in regional schools, classes focused on literacy, numeracy, and crucial health topics. These include family planning, menstrual health management, and malaria prevention. Additionally, we distribute reusable menstrual cups to support menstrual hygiene. Through this holistic approach, we empower community members with the knowledge and resources.

01.04 Please describe who exactly your startup’s product/service is aimed at serving. Who are the targeted beneficiaries?

We work and directly impact underserved communities across the Haut-Katanga, Lualaba, Haut-Lomami states. Even though we include grownup people in our programs, our main target is the youths, leaders of tomorrow.

01.05 When was your company established?

2022-01-01

01.06 Are you already selling your product/service?

No

01.07 How many other owners are there within your startup?

0

01.08 Among the other owners, how many are female?

0

01.09 Please describe the profile of the other owners within your startup (skills, experience, etc.)

N/A

01.10 If you have a website, a social media page (Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin…), or app, please provide the link(s) here:

https://umojasport.org

01.11 Which industry best describes your project?

Other: Non-governmental organization

02.01.01 My startup contributes to the No poverty goal

5

02.01.02 No poverty - Justification for my startup

The economic empowerment initiatives are designed to provide participants with vocational, technical, and financial literacy skills. The goal is to empower these community members with the knowledge and abilities to start their own small businesses. This not only increases their individual monthly household incomes, but also plays a vital role in decreasing overall poverty levels in the region.

02.02.01 My startup contributes to the Zero hunger goal

2

02.02.02 Zero hunger - Justification for my startup

N/A

02.03.01 My startup contributes to the Good health and well-being goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.03.02 Good health and well-being - Justification for my startup

Through comprehensive sports-based programs, we promote holistic health and well-being within the community. Our initiatives raise awareness on a wide range of critical health topics, including HIV/AIDS, sexual and reproductive health, COVID-19, cholera, high blood pressure, malaria, and waterborne diseases. Moreover, our programming extends beyond just athletic activities. Participants across all age groups attend specialized classes focused on menstrual health and hygiene as well as family planning. During these sessions, we provide essential resources such as sanitary pads and reusable menstrual cups to support the reproductive health and personal care needs of program participants. By seamlessly integrating vital health education and resource distribution into our sports-centered activities, we are able to comprehensively address the multifaceted well-being of the communities we serve.

02.04.01 My startup contributes to the Quality education goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.04.02 Quality education - Justification for my startup

At Umoja Sport, we are firmly committed to aligning our work with the Sustainable Development Goal 4 - Quality Education. To this end, we currently provide dozens of youth participants with equal access to quality education within our regional school system. Importantly, we also closely monitor and assess their progress to ensure they are receiving the full benefits of our programming. Beyond the core academic curriculum, our organization places great emphasis on providing robust literacy and numeracy classes. These fundamental skill-building components play a crucial role in the overall development of the young people we serve, serving as a vital foundation for their educational journeys. Importantly, our educational approach also incorporates hands-on, practical activities such as sewing workshops. By equipping participants with tangible vocational skills, we aim to not only enhance their individual living conditions,

02.05.01 My startup contributes to the Gender equality goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.05.02 Gender equality - Justification for my startup

Gender Equality is our Flagship Activity: At Umoja Sport, promoting gender equality is at the forefront of our mission and programming. We firmly believe that empowering women and girls is essential for driving sustainable development within our communities. To this end, we have integrated gender-responsive initiatives across all aspects of our work. This includes ensuring equal access and participation opportunities for both male and female youth in our educational, sports, and economic empowerment activities. Moreover, we place a strong emphasis on challenging harmful gender norms and stereotypes. Through our targeted Sport and mentorship programs, we work to build the confidence, leadership skills, and decision-making capabilities of the young women and girls we serve. Importantly, our commitment to gender equality also extends to the staffing and management of Umoja Sport. We strive to maintain gender parity across our organizational structure, from equality to broader equal

02.06.01 My startup contributes to the Clean water and sanitation goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.06.02 Clean water and sanitation - Justification for my startup

N/A

02.07.01 My startup contributes to the Affordable and clean energy goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.07.02 Affordable and clean energy - Justification for my startup

N/A

02.08.01 My startup contributes to the Decent work and economic growth

6

02.08.02 Decent work and economic growth - Justification for my startup

We train our beneficiaries to be entrepreneurs, to start small business with the aim to increase their family income

02.09.01 My startup contributes to the Industry innovation and infrastructure

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.09.02 Industry innovation and infrastructure - Justification for my startup

N/A

02.10.01 My startup contributes to the Reduced inequalities goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.10.02 Reduced inequalities - Justification for my startup

N/A

02.11.01 My startup contributes to the Sustainable cities and communities goal

2

02.11.02 Sustainable cities and communities - Justification for my startup

N/A

02.12.01 My startup contributes to the Responsible consumption and production goal

3

02.12.02 Responsible consumption and production - Justification for my startup

Through our well-designed curriculum, we educate and train our youth participants to consume electrical power responsibly. This focus on promoting sustainable energy practices is a key component of our programming. Moreover, our long-term ambition is to influence government policy to establish dedicated "car-free days" in all cities within our region. By advocating for such initiatives, we aim to reduce reliance on fossil fuel-powered vehicles and encourage the adoption of more environmentally-friendly modes of transportation. We working to create a more sustainable future for the communities we serve. This multi-pronged approach, targeting both individual behaviors and systemic transformation, is central to our holistic vision for environmental stewardship and climate action.

02.13.01 My startup contributes to the Climate action goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.13.02 Climate action - Justification for my startup

Embedded within our comprehensive sports-based programs, we have developed specialized climate action curriculum modules. Through these integrated educational components, we effectively raise awareness and foster understanding among our youth participants about the critical issues of climate change, environmental preservation, and ecological protection. Going beyond just classroom-based learning, we also organize annual observances of World Tree Day. On this occasion, we not only celebrate the importance of trees and their role in sustaining our environment, but also actively collaborate with local schools to facilitate tree planting activities across the community. This hands-on, experiential approach allows our young people to directly contribute to environmental conservation efforts.

02.14.01 My startup contributes to the Life below water goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.14.02 Life below water - Justification for my startup

N/A

02.15.01 My startup contributes to the Life on land goal

1 - Strongly Disagree

02.15.02 Life on land - Justification for my startup

N/A

02.16.01 My startup contributes to the Peace Justice and Strong Institutions goal

5

02.16.02 Peace Justice and Strong Institutions- Justification for my startup

Umoja Sport promotes peace and social cohesion through its innovative sport-for-development programs. These initiatives go beyond just athletic activities, incorporating components focused on conflict prevention, resolution, and the fostering of unity within our communities. We firmly believe that sustainable development cannot be achieved without a foundational element of peace. Therefore, our sport-based curricula are deliberately designed to equip young participants with the skills and mindsets needed to navigate and resolve conflicts constructively. Through tailored workshops and experiential learning, we empower them to become agents of peace and social harmony. By seamlessly integrating these peace-building modules into our broader sports programming, we are able to holistically address the multifaceted needs of the youth we serve.

02.17.01 My startup contributes to the Partnerships for the goal

7 - Strongly Agree

02.17.02 Partnerships for the goal - Justification for my startup

To achieve our mission, we have strategically aligned ourselves with a network of strong partner organizations. This includes Tibu Africa, the Sport for Social Change Network Africa, Coaches Across Continents, and the prestigious Mandela Washington Fellowship, among others. By cultivating these collaborative relationships, we are able to leverage collective expertise, share best practices, and amplify our impact. Furthermore, our Founder and CEO, Elvis Nshimba, is regularly invited to share Umoja Sport's innovative approaches and successful outcomes through webinars and knowledge-sharing sessions with universities in the United States, schools in Japan, and organizations across Africa. This platform allows us to contribute to the broader discourse on sport-based community development and inspire others to replicate our proven models.

06.01 There are a large number of customers who already use a product/service very similar to the product/service we envision creating.

2

06.02 The product/service represents an entirely new type of product/service.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.03 The product/service could be described as a new technology.

5

06.04 The product/service is an improvement on an existing product or service.

2

06.05 The product/service could be described as an extension of a range of products or services.

2

06.06 The product/service responds to a demand or need that has not been satisfied by other products/services.

7 - Strongly Agree

06.07 The product/service is a new version of an old product/service.

1 - Strongly Disagree

06.08 Justification for my startup

The concept of "sport for development" is relatively new within the Congolese context, where sport has traditionally been viewed primarily as a form of competition or leisure. While some organizations have attempted to rebrand competitive sports as "sport for development," Umoja Sport has pioneered innovative methodologies that leverage sports as a powerful tool for community education and engagement beyond the confines of traditional classrooms. As the first organization to truly implement holistic sport-for-development programs across the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Umoja Sport stands out. Our Founder and CEO, Elvis Nshimba, is the only individual in the country accredited as a coach in "purposeful play" by the renowned Coaches Across Continents organization. Leveraging this expertise, Nshimba has played a key role in advising the national sports minister on how Umoja Sport's unique approach can catalyze achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

06.09 Competitive Analysis

So far, we do not have competitors, and we are building new relationships with like-minded organizations across the country to bring the concept across the country

11.05 Are you initiating actions within your community to promote the role of female entrepreneurs?

Certainly. In our economic empowerment program, we initially trained female participants in Entrepreneurship and financial literacy. Half of this cohort has successfully established their own small businesses and are currently selling beef products between the Zambian border and the city of Lubumbashi. The remaining group, who received training in financial literacy, seeing and cooperative management, have been able to open their own sewing workshops. These women are now steadily increasing their incomes and inspiring to expand their operations, acquire more sewing equipment, and create employment opportunities for other women and girls in their community. As a direct result of this program l, the participants have been able to make significant progress in their lives. They have used their newfound skills and income to purchase land, improve their living conditions, and invest in their children's education. This holistic empowerment-focused approach had a transformative impact.