DRC: a student markets a highly nutritious porridge called "Di Porridge".

At age 17, while still a student, Davina Mbangu made a name for herself in the Congolese agribusiness sector by introducing a porridge called “DI PORRIDGE” to the food market. It is a blend of soy, corn, and wheat, available in Kinshasa and soon in other cities across the country. The name “Di Porridge” comes from “Di” for Davina and “Porridge,” which simply means porridge in English. A source of vitamins for children and adults This food is highly nutritious and important for children and adults suffering from various vitamin deficiencies. “The purpose of this porridge is to combat food insecurity, to be of use to myself and the nation—and why not the world? There will also be other projects to come,” she told us. Highly gifted in school since kindergarten and an avid reader, this fourth (of five) child of Auguste Mbangu and Annie Bumba was, in 2022, in charge of 4,000 students at the Bobokoli Institute in Kinshasa, where, as student body president, she introduced an innovative initiative by meeting with new 7th-grade students and various classes to advise them on the importance of discipline, morning study, punctuality, personal and intimate hygiene, and more. To date, she has a background far ahead of her age, much like her name "Mbangu" (speed in Lingala) suggests. 18 years old with a 30-year resume At 18, this young student boasts a resume as long as an adult’s. For example, Davina Mbangu has benefited from: - The first training program for women leaders under the project “Strengthening the Agricultural Extension System,” which was organized into five modules: leadership, mindset, food crops, livestock, and horticulture; - She was invited to the National Federation of Young Entrepreneurs of Congo (FNJEC) to showcase her agri-food product and was honored by a visit from the Minister of Entrepreneurship as well as several national officials; - In 2023, she received a certificate of merit from the third edition of “100 Young Pages of Hope,” an initiative celebrating young leaders who demonstrate exceptional commitment to their communities; - That same year, she was nominated “Woman of Distinction 2023” by the magazine “Ici et ailleurs” and received a certificate. Tribute to Her School Her entrepreneurial spirit, we are told, was fostered by her school, the Bobokoli Institute, where she completed her entire academic career. "The first training I received was thanks to my school. We were on a field trip (class outing, ed.) and visited the Agricultural Extension Center. That’s how I got the idea to pursue leadership training as part of the project, and that’s what led to all of this," she says in tribute to her school. Her friends and acquaintances describe her as a young woman who values discipline, hard work, and self-sacrifice, and who has always been a consistent student. As a reminder, Davina Mbangu is currently in her first year of the bachelor’s degree program under the LMD system at Leadership Academia University in Kinshasa. Jodina Chungu