Editing Ben Affleck (section)

===Eastern Congo Initiative===
{{Main|Eastern Congo Initiative}}
[[File:Ben Affleck testifying to Congress on the Democratic Republic of Congo..jpg|alt=Ben Affleck, holding a pen and sitting behind a microphone, looks ahead while offering testimony|thumb|Affleck in 2011, testifying before the [[United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations|House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights]]]]

After traveling in the region between 2007 and early 2010, Affleck and [[Whitney Williams]] co-founded the nonprofit organization [[Eastern Congo Initiative]] in 2010.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Lerner |first=George |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/03/22/congo.affleck/index.html |title=Ben Affleck Launches Aid Group for Eastern Congo |work=CNN|access-date=August 31, 2010 |date=March 23, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100415051441/http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/03/22/congo.affleck/index.html |archive-date=April 15, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Parker |first=Paige |url=http://montanan.umt.edu/issues/fall-2015/just-ask-whitney/default.php |title=Just Ask Whitney |work=[[Montanan (magazine)|Montanan]] |date=Fall 2015 |access-date=April 13, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150920000522/http://montanan.umt.edu/issues/fall-2015/just-ask-whitney/default.php |archive-date=September 20, 2015}}</ref> ECI acts as a grant maker for [[Democratic Republic of the Congo|Congolese]]-led, community-based charities.<ref name="amanpour.blogs.cnn.com">{{Cite news|last=Lerner |first=George |url=http://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/23/ben-affleck-launches-initiative-for-congo-aid/ |title=Ben Affleck Launches Initiative for Congo Aid |access-date=October 8, 2014 |work=CNN|date=March 23, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141014104326/http://amanpour.blogs.cnn.com/2010/03/23/ben-affleck-launches-initiative-for-congo-aid/ |archive-date=October 14, 2014}}</ref> It offers training and resources to cooperatives of Congolese farmers while leveraging partnerships with companies including [[Theo Chocolate]] and [[Starbucks]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.easterncongo.org/success-stories/cbo-success-stories/detail/236 |title=CBO Success Story Details |publisher=[[Eastern Congo Initiative]] |access-date=October 8, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016155518/http://www.easterncongo.org/success-stories/cbo-success-stories/detail/236 |archive-date=October 16, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.marketplace.org/topics/business/ben-affleck-sustainable-aid-eastern-congo |title=Ben Affleck on Sustainable Aid in the Eastern Congo |work=[[Marketplace (radio program)|Marketplace]] |first=David |last=Brancaccio |date=December 8, 2014 |access-date=March 27, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427014713/http://www.marketplace.org/topics/business/ben-affleck-sustainable-aid-eastern-congo |archive-date=April 27, 2015}}</ref> ECI also aims to raise public awareness and drive policy change in the United States.<ref>{{Cite press release|url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ben-affleck-launches-initiative-to-support-local-solutions-in-eastern-congo-88826822.html |title=Ben Affleck Launches Initiative to Support Local Solutions in Eastern Congo |date=March 23, 2010 |agency=[[PR Newswire]] |access-date=October 8, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013052812/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ben-affleck-launches-initiative-to-support-local-solutions-in-eastern-congo-88826822.html |archive-date=October 13, 2014}}</ref>

Affleck has written op-eds about issues facing eastern Congo for the ''Washington Post'',<ref>{{Cite news|last=Affleck |first=Ben |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/29/AR2010112904242.html |title=Ben Affleck: How the United States Can Help Secure Congo |access-date=October 8, 2014 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=November 30, 2010 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018024915/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/29/AR2010112904242.html |archive-date=October 18, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Affleck |first=Ben |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ben-affleck-congo-urgently-needs-us-help/2012/11/29/828cd2c2-37ef-11e2-8a97-363b0f9a0ab3_story.html |title=Ben Affleck: Congo Urgently Needs U.S. Help |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=October 8, 2014 |date=November 29, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018024912/http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ben-affleck-congo-urgently-needs-us-help/2012/11/29/828cd2c2-37ef-11e2-8a97-363b0f9a0ab3_story.html |archive-date=October 18, 2014}}</ref> ''Politico'',<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Affleck |first1=Ben |last2=Shah |first2=Rajiv |url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0612/77386.html |title=Opinion: Ending Child Mortality |work=[[Politico]] |date=June 13, 2012 |access-date=October 8, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141227213950/http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0612/77386.html |archive-date=December 27, 2014}}</ref> the ''Huffington Post'',<ref>{{Cite news|last=Affleck |first=Ben |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-affleck/joseph-kony-ben-affleck_b_1344323.html |title=Kony 2012: Westerners Are Not And Will Never Be The 'Saviors' Of Africa |date=March 14, 2012 |work=[[HuffPost]] |access-date=October 8, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016103951/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ben-affleck/joseph-kony-ben-affleck_b_1344323.html |archive-date=October 16, 2014}}</ref> ''Time'',<ref>{{Cite news|last=Chi|first=Paul|date=February 16, 2009|url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20259408,00.html|title=Ben Affleck Urges Hope in Eastern Congo – Good Deeds, Ben Affleck|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517205620/http://www.people.com/people/article/0%2C%2C20259408%2C00.html |archive-date=May 17, 2014|url-status=dead|work=People|access-date=June 5, 2014}}</ref> ''The New York Times''<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Affleck |first1=Ben |title=Ben Affleck: Why I'm Hopeful About Congo |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/05/opinion/affleck-eastern-congo-initiative.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171205192401/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/05/opinion/affleck-eastern-congo-initiative.html |archive-date=December 5, 2017 |url-access=limited|url-status=live |access-date=August 5, 2019 |work=The New York Times |date=December 5, 2017}}</ref> and the ''Los Angeles Times''.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Affleck |first1=Ben |title=Op-Ed: In the Democratic Republic of Congo, foreign aid matters |url=https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-ben-affleck-hochschild-congo-foreign-aid-20190619-story.html |access-date=August 4, 2019 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=June 19, 2019 |archive-date=August 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190804142813/https://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-ben-affleck-hochschild-congo-foreign-aid-20190619-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He has appeared as a discussion panelist at many events, including at the [[Center for Strategic and International Studies]],<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Tanabe|first1=Karin|title=Ben Affleck, John Kerry Join Forces|url=http://www.politico.com/click/stories/1011/affleck_kerry_join_forces.html|website=Politico|access-date=April 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923022439/http://www.politico.com/click/stories/1011/affleck_kerry_join_forces.html|archive-date=September 23, 2011|date=November 30, 2010}}</ref> the [[Global Philanthropy Forum]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X31zuLZ_YQ |title=In Conversation With Ben Affleck and Laurene Powell Jobs |publisher=[[Global Philanthropy Forum]]'s YouTube |date=October 24, 2012 |access-date=October 8, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150518174746/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X31zuLZ_YQ |archive-date=May 18, 2015}}</ref> and the [[Clinton Foundation#Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) and CGI U|Clinton Global Initiative]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/maura-kelly/ben-affleck-bono-and-stin_b_12123640.html |title=Ben Affleck, Bono, and Sting Help Bill Clinton Convene Final Clinton Global Initiative. |first=Maura |last=Kelly |date=September 26, 2016 |access-date=April 13, 2017 |work=HuffPost |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170319111351/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maura-kelly/ben-affleck-bono-and-stin_b_12123640.html |archive-date=March 19, 2017}}</ref> During visits to Washington D.C., Affleck has testified before the [[United States House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations|House Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health and Human Rights]],<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Gavin|first1=Patrick|title=Congo Crisis Pairs Ben Affleck, Cindy McCain|url=http://www.politico.com/click/stories/1103/affleck_mccain_on_congo.html|website=Politico|access-date=April 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110311114654/http://www.politico.com/click/stories/1103/affleck_mccain_on_congo.html|archive-date=March 11, 2011|date=March 7, 2011}}</ref> the [[United States House Committee on Armed Services|House Armed Services Committee]],<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-xpm-2012-dec-19-la-et-mn-ben-affleck-testifies-about-the-congo-in-washington-20121219-story.html |title=Ben Affleck Testifies in Congress About War-Torn Congo |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=October 8, 2014 |first=John |last=Horn |date=December 19, 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141024225026/http://articles.latimes.com/2012/dec/19/entertainment/la-et-mn-ben-affleck-testifies-about-the-congo-in-washington-20121219 |archive-date=October 24, 2014}}</ref> the [[United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations|Senate Foreign Relations Committee]],<ref>{{Cite news|last=Cassata |first=Donna |url=http://bigstory.ap.org/article/affleck-casts-spotlight-situation-congo |title=Affleck Casts Spotlight on Situation in Congo |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=February 26, 2014 |access-date=October 8, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018231800/http://bigstory.ap.org/article/affleck-casts-spotlight-situation-congo |archive-date=October 18, 2014}}</ref> and the [[United States Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs|Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Projects]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Warren |first=James |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ben-affleck-bill-gates-nonprofits-praised-senate-hearing-article-1.2163229 |title=Ben Affleck, Bill Gates Nonprofits Praised at Senate Hearing |work=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]] |location=New York |date=March 26, 2015 |access-date=April 13, 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170619183552/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/ben-affleck-bill-gates-nonprofits-praised-senate-hearing-article-1.2163229 |archive-date=June 19, 2017}}</ref>