The Congo Children Trust, Lubumbashi, DRC

Dear friends,

It’s hard to believe that it’s almost time to head back to the UK after almost two and a half years here in Congo. In some ways it feels like I’ve been here forever and in others it just seems like yesterday when I first arrived!

Birthday present!
Kimbilio celebrated her 2nd birthday on 16 June – the International Day of the African Child. As a way of celebrating this event we launched our new website, hopefully allowing you all to see what we are up to and connect with us in a new and more accessible way. Please check out the site at: www.kimbiliocongo.org I will be starting a new blog on this site that will be more centred on Kimbilio’s work. I’m intending to keep up the Life in Lubumbashi blog but this will become more focused on Lubumbashi life.

We also had a BBQ at a local picnic spot. It was lovely to see the lads enjoying themselves and to see the difference that there has been in their lives since we first met with them over two years ago. The BBQ was also a chance to say thank you and goodbye to some of the Lubumbashi expats who have been helping us out practically over the last year at the building site. They have developed really positive relationships with the children and have been a boost to their sense of self esteem and value.

Malaria
Almost all of the children and staff have been suffering with malaria over the past two months. After visiting one of the children who was hospitalised in a health centre near to Centre Kimbilio, I was horrified by the dirty conditions and lack of adequate medical staff. We made the decision that in future we would take the children to the Garenganze clinic recently completed by a Brethren mission partner. Although a bit further to travel, the standards are so much better. One of our lads who ended up there a few weeks later was heard to say: “it was like being in a hotel; I wanted to stay there!”