Community Charity School in Goma has suffered years of vandalism and benign neglect due to lack of funding. There has been increasing concern about security with the need to house valuable equipment including a small computer lab and a sewing instruction area which belongs to Club Rafiki. Some 98 families were involved in fundraising, going into the city and churches to ask for support. You might ask how they could hope to raise money since the people of Goma have been struggling to survive... but they view these new programs as an investment in the future of their community. Several refugees, members of Club Rafiki, were involved in the fundraising and are working side by side with the families of the students at CCS.
. These photos help to tell the story of a community working together to support their children. A total of $700.00 was raised, allowing purchase of materials to rebuild. Construction is being done by volunteers and is truly a labor of collective love.
The Resilient Class of 2024
The students graduating from 6th grade at Community Charity School (CCS) have come a very long way. Growing up in extreme poverty, these orphans have seen it all; their school years have been filled with political violence and world-wide health crises.
As toddlers their area was hard hit by Ebola (and CCS found a creative way to wash hands with no running water). Part way through their 1st grade, school was closed by COVID, yet their teachers risked their own lives to bring masks and instruction to the children at home. Afterwards, many of their classmates did not return to school as their families struggled to survive.
In their 2nd grade year, nearby volcano Mt. Nyiragongo erupted, sending lava all over. Thousands fled to any place they could find refuge; some camped in the CCS school building and survived by using its walls and benches for firewood. When finally CCS could return, the kids helped volunteers make repairs. After doubling up classes for 6 months during rebuilding, they once again had their own rooms.
Their school years have been replete with social unrest and violence. Since last year Goma has been surrounded by M23 militia, soon followed by thousands of refugees. (See recent newsletters.) Goma is overcrowded and many are starving in the streets.
These kids have come to school hungry and frightened by the sound of gunfire day and night… but they have come!
Building Back, Season Two
Last year generous friends at Princeton United Methodist led by Ms. Jie Hayes partnered with our friends in villages near Uvira to help the community build houses for their members whose homes had washed away in January 2022. Villagers provided labor and materials at hand, such as stones and sundried bricks, American donations bought cement, nails, roofing, windows and doors; twenty of the 143 households which lost everything moved into their new homes in September 2023.
We are so grateful that Ms. Hayes and PUMC volunteered to support 20 more houses this year! The first step is for the women to seek out stones for the foundation, carrying them on their heads. Men help mix cement, lay foundations, and make sundried bricks.
Stay tuned for success!
FRIENDS Around the WORLD
Beautiful surprises come from so many places! We are thrilled to introduce one of the new friends who bring us such encouragement along with their generous gifts. We thank her for giving us permission to share her name & support.
Ms. Mia Wettstein in Melbourne, Australia writes:
“I am so so so glad I could do something to help, and there is so much more that I do want to do. I found out about your site (not little!! you guys are amazing) on Tiktok! I looked into it, and decided to trust your site out of the others. The cause and effect, information and stories you shared drew me to you. I have such admiration for what you do.”
Thank you so much, Mia!!
Good News for Graduates!
Each year FEBA works to assist secondary school students complete their formal education (about A.A. degree level). The final step is writing a long paper and taking a state exam – both of which cost money, for typing the paper and registering for the exam. The fruit is a state diploma, the recognized measure of being well educated.
This year among the 18 students was Papy Santu, a young man whom Maman Monique had helped with school fees when he was a child refugee many years ago. Papy was working as a motor bike “taxi” to buy food when a friend (also hungry) asked to borrow the bike for an afternoon… and had an accident. The owner of the bike put Papy in prison until he could pay for it; some of Maman Monique’s American friends bought a new bike and she got him out of prison, in very poor health. He had to go immediately to take his state exam, but the results never came back. He has been studying on his own and now he has passed the exam! Congratulations, Papy!
(PS Papy is a talented musician and has his own band, which played at the Women’s Center inauguration last summer. You can hear it on our TikTok site.)
More Wonderful Volunteers
Last month we happily welcomed Riannon Zorn and Maren Sonstegard-Spray in social media. Now we are excited to present five more of our wonderful volunteers. Hands Across the Water (HAW), our youth division, has been a great source of talent. Students from the original club at Community Middle School have returned to be “willing hands.” They got into the act at the last gala; what lively and helpful assistants!
Introducing (alphabetical order of last names):
Aayushi Agrahari
Nikita Goyal
Ayushi Kagarana,
Ananya Lai
Sahana Rajamaniskam
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