How We Work

The Paul Carlson Partnership works to catalyze the development of sustainable communities in places of poverty outside the U.S., partnering with local people to develop an economic base that will enable families -- and thus communities -- to meet their own needs.

The economy in the northwest corner of Congo is very weak. Together with our primary partner there, the CEUM (Covenant Church of Congo), we have analyzed the root causes of poverty and found that both economic and cultural factors have deterred growth. (The cultural items were identified by the Congolese members of the discussion.)

Our ultimate goal is to strengthen critical community systems until the local population can support them. Because health care is foundational for strong families and workers, we continue our work in support of the medical system operated by the CEUM. Because schools are foundational for the future, we also continue to assist in the improvement of the educational system.

Our strategy for strengthening the economy of the region consists of a three-pronged attack on poverty, plus support for the management system that administers it:

Improve farming: Through agricultural microenterprise we are enabling and encouraging more productive farming.
Improve trade: Through small-business microenterprise we are developing wholesalers who buy local agricultural products and export them to major markets.
Improve infrastructure: We are addressing critical bottlenecks in the infrastructure, particularly in transportation, using local labor.
We are also training and supporting local management staff to administer economic grants and monitor PCP-funded projects.

Where We Work | How We Work | Health | Education | Economic Development


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