Mamma Noella’s orphans go to school!

Hi all,

I'm sorry for the lack of updates over the last month but taking on a new full time job has meant that I have very little spare time to update the blog. That doesn't mean that we haven’t been busy helping orphans in the Congo though, in fact, we have been incredibly busy buying school supplies for Mamma Noella's orphans, paying their school fees and enrolling them in primary and secondary school.

Thanks to my friend Kakule on the ground and our wonderful driver Roger, all of the children at Mamma Noella’s orphanage who are old enough to go to school are now enrolled and attending school thanks to all the generous donations through the sponsorship program.

Here are some photos of the children receiving their school supplies…

Photo of school fees being paid...

And here are some photos of the children in school…

Meanwhile, back at Mamma Noella’s orphanage Roda is looking healthier than ever and although she cannot walk unaided yet, she is getting stronger every day thanks to her continued treatment and regular visits to the clinic in Butembo.

Of course, none of this would be possible without your generous donations and continued support so thank you all so much!

Hannah x

Mamma Noella gets a sewing machine!

Thanks to all the support and generous donations to Congo Orphans Trust we have managed to be able to buy Mamma Noella a sewing machine so she can make clothes to sell and generate money to buy food for the orphans that she looks after.

Here is a photo of Mamma Noella checking out her new sewing machine!

Her first task is to make school uniforms for all the children from the blue and white material that we also bought her. She doesn't have long as the children go back to school soon!

If you would like to make a donation to Congo Orphans Trust so we can continue to help orphanages in the Congo to support themselves by starting projects like this then visit our website at www.congoorphanstrust.org.

Thanks!

A new organisation and a new website!

Following my trip to Congo earlier this year, I have spent the last few months creating a non-profit organisation called 'Congo Orphans Trust'. This organisation will continue to raise awareness of the situation for orphans in the Congo as well as provide more information about the projects we are working on and how people can get involved and help us.

Today I am very pleased to announce that the website for the organisation has finally been launched!

www.congoorphanstrust.org

Please visit our new website to find out more about the organisation, the situation in the Congo, where and how we are helping orphans and how you can donate supplies or sponsor an orphan online.

Over the next few weeks I'll be posting more information about upcoming fundraising events that you can get involved in or donate money to and as always, will be posting regular updates of how we are changing lives for orphans in DRC.

Thanks for all the support!

Mission Congo - The movie!

I can't believe it has been almost 3 months since I returned from the Congo. Where has the time gone?!

I've been busy watching through all the footage I filmed on my video camera during my trip and have finally finished editing a short movie that shows some of the highlights of the trip and also shows the main orphanages, schools and clinics I visited. You'll see the big differences between those that are relatively well funded and those that are desperately in need of financial support.

I hope you enjoy watching it and if you have any questions or comments then please message me!

Thanks

Hannah

Pineapples, bananas and milk for the orphans of Beni...

This week we have organised another food drop for the orphans of Beni. As usual we have provided them with basic items such as rice, beans, maize, cassava and oil but none of these foods are particularly high in vitamins which the orphans need to stay healthy so we also bought bananas and pineapples which are full of vitamins A, B and C and milk powder for the little ones so they can grow strong bones.

Roda in particular needs to get as much calcium and vitamins in her diet as possible to help her as she continues to receive medical treatment to get her to walk. You can see in the next 2 photos how much stronger her legs look and she is finally able to sit up straight on a stool instead of sitting on the floor with her legs all twisted out to the side of her.

She is making great progress with her treatment and is due to go back to the clinic in Butembo for a follow up consultation in early August so we will keep you updated of her progress.

In the mean time we are working with local NGO 'REACH Italia' to create and financially support a project that will enable Mamma Noella to earn enough money to be able to provide food for the orphans each week instead of having to rely on donations. More info to follow soon...

A wonderful update on Roda...

Who remembers Roda, the little 2 year old girl at the orphanage in Beni who couldn't walk or even stand when I first met her back in April? Here is a photo of her the first day I ever saw her with 2 other orphans, Joseph and Exalice. I remember she was sat on the ground with her legs twisted to the side in an unnatural position. When I picked her up her little legs were wobbly like jelly and as I tried to stand her up her legs just crumpled beneath her and flopped to the side...

I was so concerned about her and what her life would be like if she was never able to walk that I insisted we took her to a special clinic for people with disabilities in Butembo. This clinic has doctors that are experienced in treating children with disabilities and helping them learn to walk, as best they can, sometimes with aids such as walkers and crutches.

Because the clinic was a few hours drive away and Roda would need to stay there to be treated every day, the mother of the orphanage, Mamma Noella, had to leave the rest of the children behind and go and stay with Roda in Butembo for 2 months. It has been a tough time for everyone but we continued to support both Mamma Noella & Roda and also the rest of the children in the orphanage by making regular food drops both in Beni and in Butembo.

During the 2 months at the clinic, Roda received daily massage therapy and also spent a lot of time tied to a standing board which, though rudimentary in its design, is a great way to strengthen her legs to enable her to stand and support her own weight.

Here is a photo of her tied to the standing board:

And here is a photo of her during her physiotherapy sessions with her 'mamma', Mamma Noella:

I'm very pleased to announce that after 2 months in Butembo Mamma Noella and little Roda have now returned to Beni and everyone has been reunited at the orphanage. The best news is that the 2 months of a high calorie diet and daily treatment of massage therapy and standing board have worked well and Roda can now stand and her legs are strong enough to support her own weight.

Here is a photo of Roda at the clinic in Butembo standing up and holding on to the side of a wheelchair:

Kakule told me yesterday that if you hold Roda's hands she is now starting to throw her leg forward which is the beginning stage of starting to walk so the doctor in Butembo is very hopefully that in time and with continued treatment, which she will now receive in Beni, Roda will one day be able to walk.

Hearing that news and seeing the photo of Roda standing up is absolutely wonderful and I am so thankful to all the doctors who have worked so hard to help her and to all of you who made donations that meant we could pay for her care and treatment. 

Roda will continue to visit the clinic in Butembo, starting off with monthly visits, so they can monitor her progress. They say that she won't need a wheelchair although she will need a walker to aid her as she continues to get stronger and learn to walk and this is something that we are now trying to find, raise funds to buy and send to her. 

If anyone would like to help or make a donation to support our work then please contact me through our facebook page: www.facebook.com/missioncongo

Thanks!

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!