PALPER asbl
A Humanitarian, DRC-based NGO Empowering Change.
LOCAL LEADERSHIP.
PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS.
LASTING CHANGE.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), real recovery must be led from within. We are the local NGO feeding children, providing safe drinking water, planting crops, and helping communities rebuild after decades of conflict.
But many families still lack food and clean water.
You can help us take the next step
Together, we can reach more children with food and clean water.
The Crisis in Eastern DRC
Generations of conflict have shattered the lives and infrastructure of North Kivu, DRC, leaving MILLIONS in crisis.
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Mass Displacement: Ongoing violence has forced over 400,000 people from their homes in North Kivu, creating a massive refugee crisis and straining already scarce resources.
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A Water Emergency: Of 174 water sources in the Rwanguba health zone, a staggering 94% are non-functional or undeveloped. This forces over 41,570 families to rely on contaminated water daily.
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A Health Catastrophy: Unsafe water is a direct cause of deadly disease outbreaks. Communities also face constant threats from cholera, measles, and monkeypox, with hundreds of cases reported weekly.
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A Cycle of Poverty: With lives centered on survival, opportunities for education and economic growth are scarce. 64 km of agricultural roads need rehabilitation to restore livelihoods and food security.
Empowering Progress
Sustainable Solutions for the Community, Led by the Community
PALPER believes in empowering communities to lead their own recovery. We provide the tools, training, and support for sustainable, locally-owned solutions, with a focus on water, food security, disease, and education.
PALPER's work is direct and action-oriented. Our teams identify and repair damaged water infrastructure while delivering immediate safe water solutions. We are rebuilding 64 km of agricultural roads to reconnect farmers to markets and restore local economies. We also lead critical community education events to empower women and children.
Prioritizing Partnerships
The solutions to this crisis extend beyond aid; it's about collaboration. Our model combines deep local trust with world-class technical expertise, allowing us to maximize our impact in all areas where we work.
PALPER asbl is the local DRC-based, on-the-ground leader, mobilizing communities, managing logistics, and building long-term local capacity.
We partner with experts from around the world to help us solve the toughest challenges. For example, our partner Clean Water Help (USA) serves as a volunteer water-resource technical advisor, providing expert guidance on water treatment systems, quality control, and solution implementation.
The Community is at the heart of every project, taking ownership of the infrastructure to ensure it lasts for generations.
8 Priorities for Progress
Our Focus for Clean Water in the DRC
Who We Are
Leading Sustainable Development in the DRC
PALPER asbl (Programme d’Appui à la Lutte contre la Pauvreté pour l’Emergence et la Restauration d’un Développement Durable) is a non-profit, community-based organization founded in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, in 2015. It was created by local women and men who refused to accept that poverty, hunger, and conflict should define the future of their communities.
The name PALPER itself reflects this mission, translating from French to mean the "Support Program for the Fight Against Poverty for the Emergence and Restoration of Sustainable Development."
PALPER focuses on practical, sustainable solutions in eight key areas: education, health, food security, water, hygiene and sanitation, environment, protection, microfinance, and research. By working across these sectors, we address not just immediate needs such as food and clean water, but also the deeper causes of poverty, conflict, and inequality.
Everything we do is rooted in local leadership. Communities help identify their own needs, co-design solutions, and manage the infrastructure that is built. Our role is to bring people together—residents, local authorities, and international partners—so that progress is owned by the community and lasts for generations.
Where We Work
PALPER coordinates its activities from Rwanguba in Rutshuru territory with a representation office in Goma, and works through liaison offices and focal points across North and South Kivu, including Nyiragongo, Masisi, Walikale, Minova, Iyusi, and Kalehe.
Primary Contact:
Martin Mashagiro, President
Phone/WhatsApp:
+243 975 273 073
Address:
N 26, RWANGUBA
RUTSHURU, NORTH-KIVU
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Vision
To build a world where communities in the DRC are free from poverty, hunger, and preventable disease—where every person, without discrimination, can lead their own development in a healthy environment and a peaceful, just society.
Mission
To improve the well-being of the most vulnerable—especially children, youth, women, and people in crisis—by fighting poverty and restoring sustainable development in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We do this through community-led actions in health, education, food and water security, environmental protection, and peacebuilding.
