Warm Heart DRC
Democratic Republic of Congo | Biochar & Sustainable Livelihoods
Program Information
Local Organization: Warm Heart DRC (W.H.DRC)
Headquarters: Beni Town, North Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of Congo
Program Leader: Pastor Waibera Mahamba
Legal Status: Independently registered Congolese nonprofit organization
Operating Authorization: Renewed provisional authorization valid through April 2027, with nationwide scope
Permanent Authorization: Application process underway; anticipated cost of $1,500
International Partner: Warm Heart Worldwide, Inc., United States
Primary Activities: Biochar training, sustainable agriculture, displaced family livelihood support, small livestock initiatives, and alternative cooking fuel production
Restoring Hope, Rebuilding Lives, and Growing Stronger Communities
In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where years of armed conflict have forced families from their homes and disrupted traditional livelihoods, a remarkable grassroots organization is helping communities build a more secure future.
Based in Beni, North Kivu Province, Warm Heart DRC is a locally led Congolese nonprofit working to improve lives through sustainable agriculture, biochar training, food security, and practical livelihood support.
Under the leadership of Pastor Waibera Mahamba, the organization is doing far more than teaching farmers how to improve their soil. It is helping families displaced by violence regain stability, develop new skills, and create opportunities to support themselves.
Working in partnership with Warm Heart Worldwide, Warm Heart DRC demonstrates what dedicated local leadership can accomplish, even under extraordinarily difficult circumstances.
Warm Heart DRC — Impact at a Glance
500 Farmers Trained
Additional farmers trained in biochar during 2025, as reported in Warm Heart Worldwide's 2025 Year-End Report.
30 Displaced Families
Families uprooted by armed conflict who have been welcomed and assisted by Warm Heart DRC.
Community-Led Development
A locally registered nonprofit working under Congolese leadership.
Multiple Livelihood Programs
Biochar training, sustainable farming, small livestock support, and alternative cooking fuel production.
The Challenge: Rebuilding Lives in a Region Affected by Conflict
For families in North Kivu, the challenges of everyday life extend far beyond farming.
Years of insecurity and armed violence have displaced communities, separated families from their farmland, and disrupted local economies.
Families who once relied on their own land to produce food and earn an income may suddenly find themselves without the resources necessary to start again.
At the same time, smallholder farmers face declining soil fertility, limited access to agricultural supplies, and the need for affordable, sustainable sources of cooking fuel.
These challenges are deeply interconnected.
Without productive farmland, food security becomes uncertain. Without affordable cooking fuel, families may depend on increasingly scarce wood resources. Without income-generating opportunities, displaced households struggle to rebuild their independence.
Warm Heart DRC is addressing these challenges through practical, community-based solutions that help people improve their lives using locally available resources.
Biochar: Turning Agricultural Waste into Opportunity
At the center of Warm Heart DRC's environmental work is biochar, a carbon-rich material produced by heating agricultural waste under limited oxygen.
When properly prepared and incorporated into agricultural soils, biochar can help:
- Improve soil structure and fertility.
- Increase water and nutrient retention.
- Support healthier crop growth.
- Reduce dependence on costly agricultural inputs.
- Reduce agricultural waste burning.
- Store carbon in the soil for long periods.
For smallholder farmers with limited financial resources, biochar offers an accessible way to improve agricultural productivity using materials already available in their communities.
Warm Heart DRC provides practical training to help farmers understand how to produce and use biochar.
The goal is not simply to introduce a new agricultural technique. It is to give farmers knowledge they can continue using and share with their neighbors.
In 2025, Warm Heart Worldwide reported that an additional 500 farmers received biochar training in the DRC despite ongoing insecurity.
Helping Displaced Families Rebuild Their Lives
One of Warm Heart DRC's most meaningful accomplishments is its commitment to families displaced by armed violence.
Under Pastor Mahamba's leadership, the organization has welcomed and assisted 30 families forced from their land by armed groups.
For these families, rebuilding their lives requires more than temporary assistance.
They need opportunities to produce food, earn income, develop useful skills, and regain a sense of independence.
Warm Heart DRC approaches this challenge by combining immediate community support with practical livelihood development.
Its agricultural training, small livestock initiatives, and alternative cooking fuel activities offer ways for vulnerable families to begin rebuilding their economic security.
These efforts reflect a simple but powerful philosophy: lasting community recovery requires giving people the tools and opportunities to help themselves.
Small Livestock, Food Security, and Family Income
In addition to biochar training, Warm Heart DRC supports families through small livestock initiatives involving rabbits and chickens.
Small livestock can provide families with valuable opportunities to improve household food security and develop sources of income.
Depending on how each household manages its animals, livestock may contribute through:
- Household food production.
- Breeding and the sale of animals.
- Additional income-generating opportunities.
- Animal manure for agricultural use.
For families who have lost their farmland, homes, or traditional livelihoods, even a small productive asset can provide an important starting point for economic recovery.
By combining livestock support with agricultural education, Warm Heart DRC is working toward more resilient and self-sufficient households.
Alternative Cooking Fuels: Protecting Families and Forests
Access to affordable cooking fuel is another important challenge facing communities in eastern DRC.
Warm Heart DRC teaches community members how to produce cooking briquettes, providing an opportunity to explore alternatives to traditional wood-based fuels.
When made from appropriate locally available materials and used in suitable stoves, alternative briquettes can help reduce pressure on forest resources.
Briquette production can also create opportunities for small-scale enterprises, allowing families or community groups to produce and potentially sell cooking fuel.
This approach connects environmental protection with practical economic development.
It is another example of how Warm Heart DRC is working to address several community needs through affordable, locally appropriate solutions.
Local Leadership: Meet Pastor Waibera Mahamba
Behind Warm Heart DRC's programs is the dedication of Pastor Waibera Mahamba and the local team he leads.
Working in a region affected by insecurity and displacement, Pastor Mahamba has helped organize programs that respond directly to the needs of surrounding communities.
His work reflects a commitment to practical action: helping farmers improve their land, supporting families who have lost their homes, and introducing skills that can create more sustainable livelihoods.
Through biochar training, livestock initiatives, and alternative cooking fuel production, his team is demonstrating the importance of locally led development.
Warm Heart DRC's greatest strength is its connection to the people it serves.
The organization understands the challenges facing local families because its leadership and activities are rooted in the community.
Warm Heart Worldwide is proud to partner with Pastor Mahamba and his team as they continue working to improve lives in eastern Congo.
Our Partnership with Warm Heart Worldwide
Warm Heart DRC is an independently registered Congolese nonprofit organization headquartered in Beni, North Kivu.
It works in partnership with Warm Heart Worldwide, a U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to sustainable community development, environmental protection, and improving livelihoods.
This partnership brings together local knowledge, community leadership, and shared expertise in biochar and sustainable agriculture.
Warm Heart DRC leads its activities locally, identifying community needs and implementing programs appropriate to the people it serves.
Warm Heart Worldwide supports the broader mission through collaboration, knowledge sharing, fundraising assistance, and international outreach.
Together, the organizations share a commitment to helping vulnerable communities build more sustainable futures.
Help Warm Heart DRC Rebuild Lives
In a region where so many families have experienced displacement, insecurity, and economic hardship, local organizations like Warm Heart DRC are providing practical opportunities for a better future.
A farmer learning to restore depleted soil.
A displaced family receiving the resources to begin again.
A community learning to produce affordable cooking fuel.
Each represents another step toward greater independence, food security, and resilience.
Pastor Waibera Mahamba and his team have demonstrated extraordinary dedication to the communities they serve.
What they need now are the resources to reach more people.
Your support can help expand agricultural training, strengthen livelihoods, and provide new opportunities for families rebuilding their lives in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
Together, we can help communities grow stronger, one family at a time.