Our Programs: transforming women’s healthcare in Kisangani, DRC.
The Ida Lee Project is transforming women’s healthcare in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Since 2017, our team of dedicated, local healthcare professionals have been saving lives through cancer screenings, treatment, and surgeries, while working to expand access to new reproductive health services and community-based health education for women and girls.
Our current ILP programs—the Birthday Health Campaign, Period Project, and the newly opened Ida Lee House—promote preventive care, health empowerment, and dignity for women and girls.
The Ida Lee House
A sanctuary of hope and healing for women in the DRC.
Our most ambitious project yet: a permanent women’s health and cancer center in Kisangani, DRC. Since opening in July 2025, the Ida Lee House (ILH) offers free cancer screenings, treatment, and surgeries, with plans to expand reproductive health services and educational programs in the coming year. While creating a safe and welcoming space for women to heal, the ILH is also training Congolese professionals to lead, ensuring sustainable, community-owned healthcare for generations to come.
The Birthday Health Campaign
Because every birthday should be a celebration of life.
The Ida Lee Project is building a new culture of preventive care through our Birthday Health Campaign—inviting women to celebrate their birthday month with a free breast and cervical cancer screening. This simple act is transforming birthdays into a movement for prevention, dignity, and health.
The ILP Period Project
Menstruation shouldn’t stand between girls and their education.
Across the DRC, lack of menstrual products keep girls out of school, threaten their health, and reinforce stigmas. The ILP’s Period Project provides menstrual kits and community-based education, giving girls the tools and knowledge to stay in school and care for their bodies with confidence. Menstrual health becomes a foundation for empowerment and lifelong well-being
“ Together, we are building a future where every woman and girl in the DRC has the right and access to safe, dignified, and life-saving healthcare to thrive.”
— Ravonna Martin, Founder & Director, The Ida Lee Project