Supporting Democracy Overseas

Following the Democratic Republic of Congo’s 2006 elections—Congo’s first free national elections in 40 years—Abigail Lewis Cooper ’98 spent 17 months there with the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs.

Among other responsibilities, she managed six democracy resource centers, including ones she opened in the politically tense cities Mbuji-Mayi and Goma, the latter close to the border of troubled Rwanda. During “a very unstable time in Congo’s history, the centers focused on allowing a safe space for political parties to come together without the military,” she says.

The nonprofit NDI works with local partners in all regions of the world to establish and strengthen political and civic organizations, safeguard elections, and promote citizen participation, openness, and accountability in government. Now with the institute’s program-development team at headquarters in Washington, D.C., Cooper identifies private-sector funding sources, helps write proposals based on needs in the field, and helps plan what will happen on the ground as new programs are launched.

“The most rewarding aspect of my job is helping design clear programs that I think will benefit lots of people, from very grassroots programs to higher-level ones,” she says.