Bens in Congo

Nancy Wood reports a difficult week in Nyankunde and Bunia:

This past week did not start very well as we had word on Monday morning that a faithful MAF worker, who had lived in Nyankunde all his life, had been killed on Sunday evening by men in military uniforms.  This man was 50+ and in addition to working for MAF he has helped rebuild several of the churches in the village, and had begun building some attached shops near the Nyankunde market.  The local population were outraged and killed 3 of the men.

    Tuesday wasn’t much better as we learned that on Monday night, 4 thieves, 2 with guns, arrived at PRORESO School for the Deaf, out in the eastern part of Bunia, and they stole the 2 solar panels off the roof.  The panels were installed to make the computer lab functional and all high school students have had computer lessons.  But the staff also use the electricity to photocopy or print handouts for the children, and the Director can print official letters etc.  Now no power!  If we replace them right away, they may be stolen again right away.  Obviously the proposed 600m security fence around the PRORESO property is needed immediately but Lord has not yet provided the funds.    

Teachers Liripa and Devi at the PRORESO School for the Deaf

Ochaite at the PRORESO School for the Deaf

Meanwhile, Save The Children has reported three aid workers were kidnapped last week (on March 2, 2016) in the Lubero area just south of Butembo.  At this time, there has been no public update on their status.

Update:  The UN announced on March 8 that all three aid workers have been released.  At least 175 people were kidnapped for ransom in eastern Congo last year, according to Human Rights Watch, who are reporting that many kidnappings have been carried out by former and current members of armed groups.

Kalondo has had some rough times.  In 2011, it was devastated as part of the M23 conflict.  In September 2014, we were able to send them some medical supplies, only to have their medical clinic badly damaged in a severe storm known as an ourangan.  Lately, it has been extremely rainy and access to the village has been virtually impossible.

Local community members haven’t lost hope and we are pleased to support them with an innovative twist on micro-financing.  James Kataliko and Saasita were able to deliver enough funds to purchase and provide 40 chickens.  Twenty families selected by a local committee will receive two chickens each.  In time, they will simply be expected to provide two chickens back to the committee who will then start the process again by “loaning” two chickens to another family.

This project has been named “Kuku yangu, tenga yayi!” which translates to “My chicken, give me eggs!”

Update:  James has posted this project on the international Scouts website.  http://www.scout.org/node/166201

Update: Watch the video

Dorcas Mbambu has provided an excellent 2015 report for the sewing project. This project started in early 2014 after a successful Indiegogo campaign raised CAD $5,076 towards purchasing machines and related equipment.  The goal was to invest in a project that would provide an income for the Muti wa Nzuki School for Orphans in Butembo so they could be less dependent on foreign donations and to also be an opportunity for student training.

In 2015, Dorcas is reporting that the sewing project generated net revenues of USD $5,928 with related direct costs of $2,678 (for salaries, rent, transportation and repairs) for a net profit of $3,250.  She apologized that she spent only $970 towards the feeding of orphans (which is down significantly from 2014) but the reason was due to the increased receipt of funds from other donors.

For those in the U.K., please consider supporting Semiliki Trust or CMS Ireland who have both become key supporters for people in eastern Congo and have specifically helped the Muti wa Nzuki School for Orphans in Butembo.

Five dressmakers were able to train six girls and two boys in the year. They averaged production of 3 pants, 2 shirts and 2 shirts per day, six days a week.

(b)            Summary revenues from the performance of the workshop

(c). Table of certain expenditures related to the sewing project

We also sent USD $750 in the year so that the Dorcas could arrange for the completion and manufacturing of bricks which were then sold at a profit.  With these funds and the residual profits from the sewing project from 2014 plus the 2015 sewing residual profits ($2,280), she was able to directly support orphans at the school ($2,220) and to help the construction of 3 classrooms ($2,537) which CMS Ireland was also strongly supporting.

1. Other essential expenditures from $ 6,630 above

Congratulations and thanks to Dorcas for enabling such good results.

This calls for a video repeat of Happy!

Our continued goal is to help support the start up of micro businesses in eastern Congo. Clean water was identified as an important and under served need in the area. Led by James Kataliko, they have already turned over their water filter inventory once with a fair resulting profit.  Their inventory is currently sourced from Uganda. This project will provide employment and operates with the understanding that a sizable portion of profits will support local charitable ministries.

There is bureaucracy and red tape in every country!

The small kiosk in the Butembo market

James manning the kiosk

James Kataliko has forwarded the following pictures from the Ecole Maternelle les Moissonneurs in Beni. It was the end of the term and time for a celebration, parent open house and school trip. I have no idea where the crocodiles are kept! James has been a big supporter of this school with some of our funding steered this way. Despite the atrocities occurring immediately around them, life must go on.

Entrance to the Ecole Maternelle in Beni

Inside the classroom

School Assembly

Ecole Maternelle les Moissonneurs school yard

Proud Dad with top and perhaps shy student

Decorated for Christmas

Interesting crocodile cage

Crocodiles during the school tour

These pictures were forwarded with a report that 17 people have been killed in Beni, DRC by Islamic ADF terrorists. I have no more words at this time.

UPDATE: A Catholic news agency, Agenzia Fides, has provided an report on the massacres. Otherwise, media has been ignoring this story:

Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – Christmas Eve marked by blood in three places in the territory of Beni, in North Kivu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to news sent to Agenzia Fides, in the early morning of December 24 the residents of Vemba-Todo/Mavivi, Mukoko/Oïcha, and Mayangos/Assets were attacked by guerrillas of the ADF-Nalu, a group of Ugandan origin, and killed at least 20 civilians.

It is the first time that three places are affected at the same time, point out local commentators, who also denounced the practice of the dismembering of the bodies of victims to sow terror among the population. The ADF-Nalu has acquired in recent years the characterization of a jihadist movement, but according to residents in the region only the last of several armed groups active in the area, supported by local powers and non-Africans, who wreak havoc in order to take advantage of the huge local natural resources.

According to information sent to Agenzia Fides, the massacres were perpetrated between 16 and 22 December. Most of those killed were hostages kidnapped before.

The FARDC (Congo Army) had taken responsibility for dealing with the Islamic ADF, but with civilian causalities growing and the population in fear, little progress was evident. After seven civilians were hacked to death yesterday by machete in north east North Kivu near Semuliki Park, Monusco (UN) stepped in with helicopter gunships and aggressively attached ADF positions. 12 rebels and 4 FARDC soldiers have been killed with some reporting over 30 killed amid fierce fighting. A Monusco soldier from Malawi was reported among the dead. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the ADF attacks.

It would be interesting to be a fly on the wall to understand the dynamics between the FARDC and Monusco as there has been considerable tension between them. Monusco has reorganized themselves to be a stronger and more intentional fighting force from African countries whereas they had been heavily comprised of soldiers from Muslim Asian countries and totally ineffective. I suspect that Monusco was (finally) actually itching for a fight after watching the ongoing civilian atrocities. Hopefully they will keep up the pressure and soon eliminate the ADF altogether.

South African Rooivalk Attack Helicopters Deployed in North Kivu

The Congo Research Group (CRG) is an independent NYC based non-profit research project dedicated to understanding the violence that affects millions of Congolese. They have been studying and documenting the nature of the conflict in the Kivu provinces. They have recently published a new essay on the topic that provides some significant insights.

The CRG notes that there are now 70 active armed groups in the region, and increase from less than 20 groups in 2008. There has been an obvious trend towards fragmentation of groups, with most of them comprising less than 200 men. The largest group remains the FDLR, who are former members of the Rwandan army that helped organize the genocide in 1994. While the FDLR may still be the largest group despite FARDC (Congo army) efforts to destroy them, Rwandan influence within Congo is believed to be at its lowest since the genocide. The Islamic ADF is said to have given up on controlling Uganda (their original goal) and now resort to banditry in the Beni area. A lack of economic improvement has reduced the ability to entice local leaders of all groups to invest in stability rather than conflict. All that’s left has been a military strategy which is lacking in diplomatic or peace-building efforts.

The above map indicates zones of influence, not control. While useful then to identify areas to avoid, by indicating zones of influence the map would tend to exaggerate the extent of control by these armed groups. It is also not meant to imply that armed groups are not operating further north or elsewhere in Congo.

Jason Stearns is the director of the CRG. He has been working on conflict dynamics in Central Africa since 2001, when he spent a year working for a local human rights group in Bukavu. He is author of Dancing in the Glory of Monsters: The Collapse of the Congo and the Great War of Africa, a book I highly recommend if you are interested in understanding the history of the Congo conflict.

Medair is a Switzerland based humanitarian organization that operates in some of the remotest locations in the world. This short and excellent video documents some of their work in North Kivu province and the delivery of a solar powered fridge needed to store medicines in a remote village.

Our initial effort to create a micro-business under the banner of Congo Nishati Mpya was hampered by the wet climate of Butembo. Ever since, we have been trying to determine the most suitable business for Butembo that would meet a real need. Under the inspiration and direction of James Kataliko, we have decided that our next venture would involve installing lightning rods.

Damage and death by lightning strike is a serious issue in Congo.

Thunderstorms are a common occurrence in Congo

Lightning Flashes per square kilometer

James arranged for his own training and for several others in order to be capable of safely install lightning rods. Using his connections with Butembo Scouts, he plans to install lightning and grounding rods on schools, orphanages, hospitals and similar buildings in the Butembo area. He will use Congo Nishati Mpya as the legal entity to run the operation. He chose the lightning rod project code name of Mvua Baraka, which is Blessing Rain in Swahili. The first installation was at the Nyamusigha school which also serves as a common meeting place for the Butembo Scouts.

The goal is to profitably train and employ several young men with a portion of profits being made available for local charitable ventures. Our belief is that the most effective humanitarian approach involves creating micro-businesses that will enable locals to learn a skill and earn an income by their own efforts. After researching the availability and cost of materials, James has determined that installations can be profitably completed after covering all direct costs and fair wages. A special thank-you to Michael and Michelle Gropp for their initial funding of inventory, small tools and training.

First School Installation

Preparing the Ground

Lightning Rod – Mvua Baraka Project

Gervais Musakala, electrical trainer

James Kataliko installing for Congo Nishati Mypa