Université Eben-Ezer de Minembwe

Université Eben-Ezer de Minembwe (UEMI) is a faith-rooted, community-driven university located in the remote highlands of Minembwe, in South Kivu, eastern DR Congo — a region marked by ongoing conflict, displacement, and systemic neglect. Accredited in 2011, UEMI is the first and only university ever founded in this region, bringing higher education to one of the most underserved areas of the country. Our mission is to provide context-relevant, values-based education that equips students to become ethical leaders, researchers, educators, and agents of transformation. We train graduates who are morally grounded and technically skilled, ready to tackle real-world challenges in health, agriculture, education, theology, peacebuilding, and entrepreneurship — all adapted to the rural context. But UEMI is more than a university — it’s a lifeline in a time of crisis. Since 2017, over 80% of the Minembwe region has been destroyed by armed violence. As most humanitarian organizations have withdrawn due to insecurity, UEMI has stepped into the gap, not just as an academic institution but as a critical humanitarian actor. Our educational ecosystem includes: Primary and secondary schools (established in 2014 and 2015) A vocational training center A community medical clinic staffed by UEMI-trained nurses A microfinance initiative and community radio station The Centre for Research and Community Development (CRDC) — where students and faculty collaborate with communities to co-create solutions rooted in local knowledge Many of our graduates return to serve as teachers in our schools, health workers in our clinic, and leaders in their communities. UEMI’s vision is to become a Centre of Academic Excellence and Humanitarian Leadership, where knowledge is not just taught but co-created, where learning leads to local ownership, and where education becomes a force for peace, justice, and transformation. Even in war, we stay. We teach. We build. We serve. This is education as resistance. This is UEMI.