Celebrate, in spite of

GRADUATION!

In Kinshasa students of sewing, cosmetology, and computer science celebrated a happy graduation.

Because the government department of vocational studies never sent back the results of the exams taken last July, graduation was not held in 2025, and many of those who completed the program moved on to begin their professional lives. Maman Monique decided to go forward without the government, to provide a welcome conclusion and celebration for the 2025 graduates. Above are graduates from the sewing, cosmetology, and computer science programs. Below are graduates with some teachers.

We Won’t Give Up!

Community Charity School welcomes its new laptop. That is the whole computer equipment for all teaching, replacing two old machines which finally fell apart.

The situation in eastern Congo, especially Goma, is both better and worse. Better, because the UN (MONUSCO) has arrived and (we hope) the days of M23 and Rwanda are numbered. Worse, for the same reason. As it seems their hold on Goma is becoming precarious, the violence has increased yet more, and with rising inflation (5 times normal) hunger reaches new levels.

Thanks to you, we are able to help some, to keep salaries coming and money for food for both CCS and the orphanage. Smiling kids show their bags of beans and rice.

“Our Health Seminar!”

Educational programs are a critical part of FEBA’s ministry. Of the c.1200 members, almost all are the poorest of the poor, many semi-literate, some completely illiterate. The goal has been to provide training in significant areas: health, budgeting, human rights. Since COVID the funds for education have depended on special donations. A major financial literacy seminar was held early in 2024 as part of a wonderful microloan grant.

NOW, thanks to the grant from Fletcher and Anne Wright, FEBA was able to hold the first of several special health seminars. This one was for students and staff of FEBA; others will follow, for the larger membership.

It was led by Dr. Modeste, a friend of Maman Monique who is very concerned about preventive care. The seminar ranged over various aspects of health, including how to detect signs of cancer – uterine cancer is frequent and rarely diagnosed - or other diseases. The students asked questions: some laughed when one young woman asked about menstrual cycles. Dr. Modeste explained that it doesn’t matter if is 21 or 28 days as long as it is regular, but if it becomes irregular, see a doctor immediately!

The Cost of What’s Lost 

As we all know, when our government slashed USAID, one of the most important single programs cut was the support for fighting HIV/AIDS. This has had significant consequences for our partners in Congo, especially in Kinshasa.

    FEBA regularly helps a number of people living with HIV/AIDS; at present that is eighteen, mostly women though a few men. Some of what is needed is pastoral care; though it is not easy, the leaders willingly offer that. But other costs: anti-retroviral drugs, quarterly examinations, some assistance for regular healthy nutrition, treatment for opportunistic illnesses: those are an enormous financial load. The places where free drugs can still be found are very few and far between, and with high inflation, every expense has tripled.

    Another thing FEBA does is train women to recognize signs of infection, so they can encourage those they identify as infected to seek testing, and then accompany them through the long process. Among the seminars which FEBA plans very soon is one on HIV/AIDS: how to avoid it, how to recognize the signs, how to accompany those affected.

   So much has been lost. But the compassion and courage, the vision and will, of Maman Monique and FEBA, are as strong as ever.