Project Stories and Updates: Dec 2020

Each month we receive many updates on our current projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo, so many in fact, we can't share them all. There is so much happening in DRC! However, here are a few that stand out this month:

Updates and Stories being collect on all the children!

Meet Lucienne, She is 18 years old.  She was one of the first children living in the orphanage when Heather met Kizungu. Lucienne is a bright, tall, and beautiful young women. Quiet yet engaging in her inquisitive nature.

(Lucienne photographed in the pink dress on Idjwi island as she was assisting Kizungu document project updates from the Pygrmy Village, chicken/egg project and the Routes Academy School)  

For years, we have had dreams of gathering follow-up stories on each of our Tchukudu children to report back to our generous sponsors.

As many of you know, we have our youngest children living together in the Tchukudu Kids home but our older children are generously fostered with our Welcome (Foster) Families in the community. In exchange for offering to foster, these foster families can educate their own children for free at The Jonathan Holiday School.

Because the children are spread amongst the community, and due to limited resources and technology, we hit many roadblocks preventing us from being able to get regular updates on each child. Until now!

With the development of smart phone technology and the passing of years, Lucienne has now been employed by us to visit the Tchukudu children living in our Welcome (Foster) Homes to collect their updates and stories. Lucienne began collecting these stories this week.

Here is one of her first updates for us:

A mother in the community has been fostering 2 of the Tchukudu children, Kahindo (age 9, 2nd grade) and Kasereka (age 7, 1st grade). Kasereka is one of the newest children to join the Tchukudu kids. He arrived in October because his parents died of Ebola earlier this year. He has been successfully been matched up with a new sponsor.

(Mumbere, Kasereka, Kahindo, and two youngest children)

This mother is a widow and has three of her own children. The oldest of her children, Mumbere (age 12, 4th grade), attends school with Kahindo and Kasereka. Her two youngest are too young to attend school.

This mother makes money by traveling to the market and buying charcoal in bulk. She then sells it door to door to women in her community to use for fuel. She also cleans utensils for other people to help make money to buy food with.

She has so generously opened her home and her heart to Kasereka and Kahindo. What an amazing woman!

We'll have more updates and stories coming soon!

Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Elementary School in East Gwillimbury Ontario donates $1000!