Annual Reports
Nov
2012
120 Children Go to Our School
Within the last six months, we have had many ups and downs in our Congo project; a very intense time! Some of the ups were our third interview with Munich TV and the posting of a new video about our work in Mushapo on YouTube. On the down side, however, we received news that after the foundation of our school building was done, the farm closed due to all their troubles. It looked as though we would be unable to continue our project as they took everything away. There was no more electricity, water, internet, bed, table or chair. We were left alone in the bush and had to find solutions. Thank God for the miraculous and unexpected support of our dear friends, which encouraged us to continue without the farm’s help. Jean, the former foreman on the farm, was willing to work with us for half of his former…
May
2012
School Building for Mushapo
Die Vorbereitung für den Bau des Schulgebäudes läuft auf Hochtouren. Die Materialien werden eingekauft und nach Mushapo gebracht oder selbst hergestellt. Es haben sich zahlreiche Unterstützer im Kongo finden lassen die uns logistisch unterstützen oder auch Einrichtungsgegenstände für die Schule organisieren. Building a solid construction in the bush is no easy task. Ours will be the first one in this whole region – its foundation and pillars are to be built with cement and iron, and the walls with baked bricks. The lack of infrastructure there makes it difficult for us to break through the cycle of poverty and the many obstacles in the interior of the country. But we won’t let this discourage us. It takes patience and perseverance, and thank God for our friends who want to support us in our efforts. It’s like a big jigsaw puzzle with many small pieces, all of which are important in…
According to a recent survey in the United Nations’ annual Human Development Index, Congo DRC has the lowest living standard of 187 countries. Statistics are very hard to find here, but it is estimated that only around 60 % of the children go to school which parents have to pay for. 70 % of the people live in the undeveloped countryside, called the bush, with the most extreme poverty and illiteracy. Hardly anybody wants to go and help there because the situation and circumstances are so difficult. Most aid organizations work in and around Kinshasa or cities in the war-torn East. The rest of the country is pretty much left to itself. They lack basic infrastructure, like proper roads, which makes certain goods extremely expensive. One bag of cement in Kinshasa costs 14 $, in Tshikapa 39 $ and it still has to be transported to the village. One liter…