Background
The Friends of the Congo (FOTC) is a 501 (c) 3 tax-exempt advocacy organization based in Washington, DC. The FOTC was established at the behest of Congolese human rights and grassroots institutions in 2004, to work together to bring about peaceful and lasting change in the Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly Zaire.

The Friends of the Congo is led by people of African ancestry and others of goodwill. We believe that with strong support from friends of the Congo throughout the globe , the vast human and natural resource potential of the Democratic Republic of Congo can serve as an instrument to meet the enormous needs of the people of Congo and Africa.

Mission
• Work with Congolese institutions from diverse sectors of the society who are working on behalf of and in the interest of the masses of Congolese.
• Provide opportunities to help develop and reconstruct the Congo.
• Work to elevate the quality of life of the people of the Congo and by extension African peoples throughout Africa and the globe.

Vision
The ultimate vision of the FOTC is to see a strong vibrant Congo where the Congolese control their own destiny and utilize their country's vast resources as an engine for their own development and that of Africa and the African diaspora.

Become A Friend of the Congo
BREAK the silence
STOP the pillaging
PROMOTE Justice
DEFEND the women and children
PROTECT the environment
SUPPORT the people

You can become a friend of the Congo by visiting our website (www.friendsofthecongo.org) or calling our office at 202-584-6512 or 1-888-584-6510.

Women and Children
Friends of Congo works with the Association of Widows located in the South Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Association has been in existence since 1975. It is made up of over 5,000 widows located in 32 parishes in the South Kivu province in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Association provides training, skills development, cultural education, health-care, child-care and numerous other services for the women, children and the communities from which they come. A top priority for the Association is the care of thousands of women and orphans who have been victims of rape and sexual violence as a result of the conflict in the East of the Congo.

Global Mobilization
The purpose of the global mobilization effort is to educate the global community about the Congo, raise awareness about the situation in the country and mobilize informed support on behalf of the people of the Congo. Friends of the Congo pursues its global mobilization effort via the following avenues:
? Organize forums and events on the Congo (events list provided upon request)
? Undertake media outreach (media outreach list provided upon request)
? Conduct online advocacy and outreach (see FOTC Website, blog, facebook, youtube, twitter and other social network platforms)
? Publish pamphlets, articles, fact sheets and books about the Congo (Coming in October 2008 is a book on coltan and its use in modern society)
? Show films on the history and current situation in the Congo