Our Founding Story
The Heart Behind HNI
HNI was founded in 2005 by Mombo Kalumbula and her father, Reverend Kizombo Kalumbula, to help women and children impacted by the ongoing conflicts in their village of Kitindi in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Mombo was born in the village of Ingili in eastern Congo to parents, Reverend Kizombo and Wababili.
“My mom is very strong—spiritually and physically. She farmed, took care of the household, and raised her children with love and care,” recalls Mombo. Later her mother adopted 17 more children, seeing the need in her community and stepping up to do something about it. Her father is a man of faith and believer in education, he instilled a love for learning and community. While many families only send their boys to school, Rev Kizombo ensured his only daughter, Mombo, earned her education just like her four brothers.
“He pushed me. Whatever I have today is from my dad,” recalls Mombo. In the remote village of Kitindi there are limited roadways and access to electricity. Each morning, Mombo and her brothers walked 7 miles through mud and sand to get to and from school, waking up as early as 4 or 5 am and returning in the evening to finish chores like gathering water, peeling cassava, and stoking the fires. At school they also worked to support the school, boys cut grass with machetes and girls would rake and gather the grass. School was an investment for the Kalumbula family, having to purchase uniforms, shoes, supplies as well as tuition.
Finding Her Calling
At 18 Mombo was unsure of her life’s calling, thinking at first of becoming a teacher but didn’t feel it as her true calling. However, she found herself becoming a voice for the voiceless, becoming an advocate and activist for children and women—she found her calling.
In 1994 millions of Rwanda refugees were displaced, many entering the Congo seeking safety and refuge. By 1996 war had broken out in the Congo. Mombo had the opportunity to join her brothers in Grand Rapids, MI and has been living in the US for the past 30 years. The women and children who were unable to escape the violence weighed heavy on her heart. “Education is power. Knowing how to read and write your own name is power. My mom never had that opportunity,” says Mombo. This sentiment fueled the initiatives that would eventually become Humanitarian Need International.
The Goal? Nurture Children and their Caregivers.
For the last twenty years, that's exactly what Mombo and the HNI team have been doing. Each year, HNI serves between 200-500 students, sponsoring tuition, providing uniforms, and offering meals for attending students and their siblings. We cultivate an environment of safety, resources, and community for orphans, vulnerable children, and their caregivers.
Mombo's deep connection to the Congo—where she grew up speaking Swahili among 427+ tribes with diverse dialects—shapes everything HNI does. Her linguistic abilities (Swahili, English, French, and Kilega), bachelor's degree in social services from Cornerstone University, and current work as a Youth Specialist in Grand Rapids give her unique insight into both communities. This blend of lived experience, professional expertise, and cultural fluency continues to drive HNI's expanding impact in the DRC.