In the heart of Eastern Congo, a company named Pharmakina SA is doing something extraordinary. Established in 1942 and headquartered in Bukavu, Pharmakina is the world’s leading producer of quinine, a powerful anti-malarial compound derived from the bark of the cinchona tree. In a region marked by fragility and decades of instability, Pharmakina represents more than pharmaceutical manufacturing; it symbolizes resilience, regional self-reliance, and the promise of industrial revival.

With the global health community turning increasingly toward local solutions, and donors scaling back programs like USAID and WHO’s malaria initiatives, Pharmakina is stepping up as a regional pillar for health sovereignty. Backed by AlphaTalents Africa (ATA), a faith-driven impact investment fund, Pharmakina is not just producing medicine. It’s nurturing a sustainable supply chain, creating formal jobs, and advancing gender equity in one of Africa’s most conflict-affected regions.

Rooted in resilience

Pharmakina was founded as part of the colonial pharmaceutical network and later evolved into the DRC’s industrial anchor in South Kivu. Its journey through conflict, economic crisis, and infrastructure breakdowns tells a story of remarkable continuity. Even when others shuttered, Pharmakina never closed its doors.

During periods of civil unrest, its employees created a human shield to protect the factory. Many chose to live on-site for weeks. Their loyalty stemmed not from obligation but appreciation — the company had long invested in their communities, building roads, water plants, and schools. Today, Pharmakina is the largest private employer in the region, providing over 1,000 formal jobs and engaging more than 10,000 small-scale farmers through an outgrower scheme.

Its strength comes from a systems-building mindset. Pharmakina operates its own rainwater harvesting facility, wood-powered steam boilers, and solar energy sources. By mastering self-sufficiency, it has shown that global standards can be upheld even in places where basic infrastructure is absent.

Quinine — A strategic commodity

Quinine is more than a medicine. It’s a strategic triple-threat: a life-saving pharmaceutical compound, an agricultural product, and a commercial flavoring used in tonic beverages.

Quinine sulfate; Photo courtesy of Pharmakina

In fact, Pharmakina is the only industrial Quinine producer in all of Africa. No other company is producing the Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) — making Pharmakina SA the only one and consequently it is playing a very crucial role on fighting Malaria across Africa.

Pharmakina produces over 10 million anti-malarial treatments annually and exports pharmaceutical-grade premium quinine salts to the global beverage industry.

Pharmakina is a case study in catalytic capital unlocking impact where others see only risk.

Yet most of DRC’s quinine bark is exported raw, only to be processed overseas and re-imported at double the cost. Pharmakina is working to reverse this trend — currently processing 25% of available bark with a goal of reaching 80%. In doing so, it is building a local value chain that benefits farmers and enhances regional health security.

The AlphaTalents Africa partnership

In 2023, Pharmakina found an aligned investor in AlphaTalents Africa (ATA), a Mauritius-based new type of “Impact-First Investment Fund” founded in early 2023 by Roland Decorvet.

Roland Decorvet; Photo courtesy of AlphaTalents-Africa

Roland Decorvet brings over 30 years of executive experience in the food industry across Europe, Asia, and Africa. He has led companies of all sizes, including Nestlé China with 55,000 employees and 33 factories, and served as CEO of publicly listed Nestlé Pakistan, with a turnover of $600 million.

ATA’s motto is “OPTIMIZE RETURNS AND MAXIMIZE IMPACT”. ATA, focusing on Agri-Businesses, invests in African companies that prioritize social impact over profit maximization. Pharmakina became ATA’s first investment — a natural fit, given quinine’s direct link to public health, agriculture, and employment.

ATA’s capital injection has enabled Pharmakina to modernize operations and expand capacity. CEO Gurpreet Kang, a computer engineer with global manufacturing experience, was brought in in February 2023 to lead this transformation by driving the company’s future growth and ambitious impact agenda. Mr. Kang’s motivation is deeply personal — quinine once saved his life during a severe bout of malaria in Nigeria while being the Chief Financial Officer of a Nigerian diversified investment group operating across several verticals including food, agribusiness, and consumer goods. Now being relocated to Bukavu from Lagos, he’s committed to ensuring others have access to quinine.

Photo courtesy of AlphaTalents-Africa

The company plans to expand into new therapeutic areas by investing in R&D, including the extraction of new medicinal compounds like alocitine. In parallel, it aims to double its processing capacity and increase its footprint in the global pharmaceutical and botanical markets.

Measurable impact and SDG alignment

Pharmakina’s operations are tightly aligned with several Sustainable Development Goals:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being — By producing affordable anti-malarials in Africa, Pharmakina contributes directly to reducing mortality and morbidity.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth — With over 1,000 formal jobs and 10,000+ smallholder farmers in its value chain, Pharmakina is a pillar of inclusive growth.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure — It exemplifies industrial self-reliance in a fragile state, combining manufacturing excellence with local raw material sourcing.
• SDG 13: Climate Action — Water-saving measures, renewable energy, and sustainable forestry practices demonstrate environmental stewardship.

Its Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) tracks 15 KPIs — 12 of which are non-financial ESG metrics. Quarterly reports are shared with investors, ensuring transparency. The company has also introduced gender-focused hiring policies, with 60% of the workforce currently made up of women, and initiatives to further increase female participation in technical roles.

By distributing over 3 million cinchona seedlings free of charge and offering zero-interest loans for farm tools, Pharmakina empowers farmers while protecting biodiversity. Its Centre of Excellence trains farmers in disease-resistant cultivation methods, ensuring a resilient supply of bark over the next decade.

A Model for Impact Investing in Africa

Pharmakina is a case study in catalytic capital unlocking impact where others see only risk. With ATA’s backing, it is proving that fragile regions can support world-class enterprises rooted in purpose, profit, and people.

Africa doesn’t need more charity. It needs capital — strategic, patient, and values-aligned. Pharmakina’s journey from bark to breakthrough shows what’s possible when investors look beyond short-term returns and choose to build resilience, equity, and dignity into the DNA of development.

Imagine this: A pharmaceutical value chain in a remote area of DRC, supported by:

• Mobile-based farmer engagement tools
• Remote monitoring of crop and processing sites
• Blockchain-powered ESG and traceability reporting
• AI-driven quality assurance and supply chain optimization

In the words of CEO Gurpreet Kang: “We are not there yet, but we’re building something the world has never seen — a fully integrated, tech-enabled, and impact-driven pharma value chain in the heart of Africa.”