About Us
Our Mission
Our mission is to promote and improve the quality of healthcare, education, and the lives of human beings in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Kulungu Corporation is also passionate about the environment.
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Medical Care in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Poverty is still a major problem in Congo, where two-thirds of the population live on less than 1 dollar (USD) a day. With a population of 105 million people in 2024, an estimated 70 percent do not have access to healthcare. Less than a quarter of Congolese citizens have access to proper sanitation facilities and fewer than half of Congolese citizens have access to clean water. Additionally, the DRC has a limited and insufficient number of hospitals to serve the growing population and most hospitals are poorly staffed and equipped.
The DRC is faced with having to respond to numerous public health challenges. The greatest threat to health in the DRC is Malaria with 97 percent of the population living in zones of high transmission and acting as the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. According to WHO, 407 cases of polio infection were reported between January 2022 and May 2023 alone. Measles outbreaks in the last 4 years have spawned over 300,00 reported cases of measles, leading to more than 4,000 deaths. UNAIDS reports that an estimated half a million people are living with HIV/AIDS infection as of 2022. Almost half of infant deaths in DRC are linked to malnutrition and lack of proper diet. According to WHO, almost two-thirds of Congolese children lack essential Vitamin A. Transmission of diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, and bilharzia are prevalent because of lack of clean water. Being among the 5 poorest countries in the world, 62% of Congolese live below the poverty line according to World Bank. Furthermore, the on-going conflict in the eastern region of Congo has led to an estimated 4 million orphans among a largely displaced population. Several NGOs and WHO are fighting tirelessly to deal with vast numbers of public health and humanitarian challenges, but Kulungu Corporations aims to do our part.
About the Founder
Bienvenu M. Kulungu
Bienvenu Kulungu is the oldest of six children born to Pascal and Therese Kulungu. He was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bienvenu felt the call to serve something greater than himself when he was just 12 years old. It was also at age 12 that he decided he wanted to be a medical doctor. The passion to care for others was a tradition for the family. The Kulungu family was known to the community for their tradition of hospitality and compassion for others. Their Christian faith was at the center of their lives. His late father Pascal Kulungu, a former member of Congress and an alumnus of Fresno Pacific University in California changed the lives of so many in Africa with his works in areas of education, health administration, peace building, good governance and conflicts resolution. His mother was a nurse. Bienvenu is happily married to Miss Kulungu and they have four children. The Kulungu family reside in Maryland.
Bienvenu was able to come to the United States to further his education with the help of his father. He’s an alumnus of the University of Massachusetts Boston, there he also had the privilege of serving as the President of the Pre-Medical Society. Bienvenu studied medicine in Kinshasa prior to his studies in the United States, his dream has always been to become a heart surgeon.
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Despite living far away from home, Bienvenu never forgot about the Congo and the tremendous needs of its citizens. Like his father who went back to live in Congo after his studies in the U.S, Bienvenu has used his American journey as way to find solutions to issues of priority to his peers back home. His 10 years dream to start a nonprofit became a reality in February 2015. With Kulungu Corporation running, Bienvenu wants to bring hope to so many Congoleses living in severe poverty, in a nation where only 20 percent of the population have access to appropriate medical care. Finally, Bienvenu is extremely grateful to Dr Neal Testerman, Dr Alvin Schroeder, former Dean of Harvard Medical School Dr. Joseph B. Martin, former President of Dana Farber Cancer Institute Dr David G. Nathan, former Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Boston Dr Keith Motley, former President of Brigham and Women's Hospital Dr Gary Gottlieb and former President of Dana Farber Cancer Institute Dr Edward J. Benz Jr. for providing him with mentorship that was necessary and vital without which he would not have been able to accomplish his dream.
Board and Advisory Members
​ Board and Advisory Board Members​​
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Edward J. Benz Jr, MD, (Advisory Board)
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former President of Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, former Chairman of the Dept of Medicine at Johns Hopkins Medicine, former Physician in Chief at Johns Hopkins Hospital
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Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School
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Gary L. Gottlieb, MD, (Advisory Board)
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former President of Partners HealthCare(Mass General Brigham), Boston, MA, former President of Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA
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Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School
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Gregg Whittaker (Board Chairman)
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Former Managing Director and Global Head of Credit Derivatives for Chase Securities. Mr Whittaker's group at Chase was rated as top Credit Derivatives Group in the world. Professor of Economics
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David Schwartz​ (Board member)
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Founding Partner & Co- Chief Investment Officer at T30 Capital, New York, former Wall Street Executive
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Nicholas Mitsos (Board member)
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Principal at Eurafrasia Group Limited, London, UK. Former Deputy CEO & Head of Global development for COIDIC
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Erik Solheim (Board member)
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Former Under-Secretary General of the United Nations, Former Norwegian Minister of International development & Environment, Former UN Head of Environment Programme, Peace negotiator and Promoter of sustainable investments
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Clark Snow (Board member)
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Senior Vice President at Sandy Spring Bank, United States
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