With an average income of less than $200 (USD) a year, the Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the poorest countries in the world. Corruption is rife and the government provides less than a minimum of public services. Transportation presents a terrible problem for any endeavor, with few roads maintained sufficiently for any but the most rugged vehicles. Public education is nonexistent and healthcare is unavailable for those without money.
For many years Susila Dharma Projects in the DRC in education and healthcare have been struggling with this very difficult situation, trying to find ways to create schools and healthcare centers that can meet the needs of the people in an affordable way without going bankrupt. There have been failures, but the overall progress thas been astonishing. Continue reading →
Water-borne disease is one of the main causes of illness and death in death in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Susila Dharma DRC has established three community health centers (CSCOMs) and is working on a fourth; but better than curing disease is preventing infection in the first place.
The new well at CEDERI Madimba will bring 5,000 liters (1321 gallons) of water a day to the village.
Clean drinking water can prevent illness and infection. The CSCOM, CEDERI-Madimba has addressed this reality by digging a well and piping potable water to the health center and the village. This project brings a vital supply of clean drinking water to a population of almost 5,000 who live in the village of Kimbobolo in Madimba Territory of the D.R. Congo and to CEDERI Madimba, a 30-bed medical centre that serves over 8,000 people in the rural area.
The population of Kimbololo is higher now than when SD-DRC first established this project, as babies are born and people move into this area in the hope of a better life in a community with access to clean water, electricity, healthcare and education. Bringing 5,000 liters of water a day to the village considerably lightens the work of water-collection for women and young girls in Kimbololo where the water point is being installed and clean water will improve the health of the community. Many generous donors have supported SDIA, SD Congo and CEDERI-Madimba to bring clean water to the hospital center in Kongo Centrale province as well as to a nearby village.
You can see the process of digging the well and bringing water to the village in the three videos below. In these videos you can see the work that was going on in June, what conditions are like there, and what local community members think of the initiative.
Since these films were made, the well has been dug, a shelter for the pump has been built and the conduit taking the water to the village and the hospital is in place. The only work that remains is to build the structures that will hold the tanks. We’re nearly there!
For many years Susila Dharma Projects in the DRC in education and healthcare have been struggling with this very difficult situation, trying to find ways to create schools and healthcare centers that can meet the needs of the people in an affordable way without going bankrupt. There have been failures, but the overall progress thas been astonishing. Continue reading 