School, school, school...

Nothing is more important for orphans in the Congo than getting the opportunity to go to school and get an education, which is why we are focusing a lot of our time and money on paying school fees and also delivering much needed school supplies to orphans that simply could not afford these things without our help.

Over the last couple of weeks we've been sent some wonderful photos and updates from the Congo. First from Walikale which is one place that I was unable to visit due to both a change in my flight schedule and also the security situation on the ground. The team that I was working with in Goma (UGADEC) finally managed to get my box of school supplies to the orphans there and here are some photos of them all with their new books, pencils and crayons...

Another box of supplies also made it to Uvira which I didn't make it to as I was so ill with Typhoid fever. Here are some wonderful photos that Stany took with the children he is helping there including one beautiful and very touching personal message of thanks...

Finally we made a donation to Mamma Josephine's orphanage in Butembo to pay for the school fees of these 4 children who are in their final year of primary school so that they can take their examinations which they need to pass before they can go to secondary school.

Without our help (and the generous donations from all of you) we couldn't afford to help them and they would have to stop going to school so on behalf of Tavunirima, Mbokani, Kataliko and Manegabe I would like to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who has made a donation to help orphans in the Congo... we really are making a difference!

More food for orphans in Beni...

Today we delivered more food to the orphans in Beni. For the last 6 weeks, while Mamma Noella has been living at the clinic in Butembo with little Roda, the remaining 19 orphans at this small orphanage in Beni have had to look after themselves. We have been helping by bringing them food so the older children could still go to school everyday and also look after the little ones.

Basic food items such as rice, beans, cassava and bananas made up most of the delivery along with oil and firewood to use on the new stove we had built a couple of weeks ago. A few onions and tomatoes completed the food drop.

Here are a few photos of the children with the food and also one of our driver Roger who made the food drop. Check out the photo of the little boy wearing the Oxford United T-shirt!

Thanks to everyone for your donations and support!

A new cooking area for the orphanage in Beni...

Last week we were told that the area where the children cook at the orphanage in Beni was in very poor condition making it almost impossible to use to cook food.

Here is a photo showing how bad it was:

So we used $30 of the Mission Congo project money to buy bricks, sand and cement for the cooking area to be repaired:

And here is the final result all ready to be cooked on:

Such a small thing that makes such a bug difference to these orphans. 

Thanks again for all the support!

Double food drops for Mamma Noella & the orphans in Beni...

Another two weeks has past since our last food drop at Mamma Noella's orphanage. This time it was a double drop with food being delivered to the children at the orphanage in Beni to keep them going for another 2 weeks and a separate food drop to Mamma Noella and Roda at the clinic in Butembo to keep them going for the next month while Roda receives more treatment.

Here are the children in Beni with their supplies of rice, beans, cassava, bananas, onions, tomatoes, oil and firewood. Total spend = $100:

Here is Mamma Noella and Roda with their food delivery of rice, beans, soja, cassava, milk, oil, sugar firewood and washing powder. Total spend = $100:

There was also enough money left to buy Roda some new sandals which is great as fingers crossed as her treatment continues she will be able to start walking so will need some shoes:

She is doing well and is gaining weight and continues to receive physiotherapy 3 times a week to try to help her to walk.

Meanwhile, we are busy arranging and paying for the cooking area at the orphanage in Beni to be rebuilt as it is damaged meaning that they are unable to cook on it. We are also making arrangements to support some orphans in Butembo who are in their final year of primary school but cannot afford to pay for the cost of their final examinations. 

More details and photos of these projects will follow...