Plantations et Huileries du Congo (PHC) has launched an ambitious women’s empowerment program called Empow’Her. This initiative aims to strengthen the economic independence and leadership of women, both within the company and in the rural communities surrounding PHC’s operational sites in the provinces of Mongala, Équateur, and Tshopo. The Empow’Her program is built around three core pillars: combating gender-based violence, increasing the representation of women within the company, and supporting women’s socio-economic empowerment through income-generating activities as well as reproductive and maternal health initiatives.
As part of its economic empowerment component targeting women in PHC’s operational areas, Empow’Her trains and supports women from these local communities in developing sustainable micro-agricultural activities. The pilot phase involves training 120 women in the rural areas of Yaligimba (Mongala province) and Boteka (Équateur province), where PHC operates. The program is expected to gradually expand to other regions. After nine months of training, each participant receives technical and financial support to launch her own activity within her community.
In this context, an inaugural harvest took place on June 20, 2025, at an agricultural production site in Yaligimba, Mongala province. Just three months after its launch, this “Women’s Empowerment Site” is already home to a first cohort of participants trained in market gardening, composting, and small-scale animal husbandry. On this pilot site, the women grow vegetables and test farming techniques tailored to rural realities.
The event was attended by Mrs. Monique Gieskes, Managing Director of PHC, and Mr. Kamal Pallan, representative of Kuramo Capital Management, PHC’s majority shareholder. To mark the day, Mrs. Gieskes symbolically planted chili peppers and declared:“As an authorized voice, I proclaim that what you have planted here, you will harvest in abundance. I wish you continuous growth, flourishing production, and prosperity on this site and in all your individual ventures.”
Mr. Pallan harvested spinach grown by the participants, commending the tangible results of the project and the active involvement of PHC teams in supporting the beneficiaries.
The participants, in turn, expressed heartfelt appreciation to PHC for the program’s concrete impact on their lives: a renewed sense of self-confidence, a new perspective on their societal role, and the ability to take charge of their future and their families’. For them, this program is far more than just an initiative—it is living proof that dedication and hard work can truly transform lives.
Through Empow’Her, PHC affirms its ambition to build an inclusive model of rural development that fully values women’s potential.
