Tag Archives: DRC

The Melinda Wallis Memorial Fund

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SD USA has set aside money—$1000 in the first year—available to fund grant proposals submitted by Subud USA members to engage in small local charitable efforts that address humanitarian issues and interests that are “within the meaning” of the 501c3 tax status of SD USA.

Melinda Wallis, who held Subud USA together for so many years and constantly helped others both within Subud and in the broader community throughout her life.

Projects can address humanitarian, educational, environmental, or scientific goals. (If you are unsure whether your project is elegible, don’t be shy, ask us.)
The grants will be quite small, up to $500 each, and are available for one year only, not renewable for at least one year after the initial year.

To apply, submit a brief project proposal. Grant proposals will be reviewed by the SD USA Board on a first come, first served basis, so act now! Here is a link to the application form.

Who can apply? Individual Subud members, groups of several Subud members, or a local Subud center Center. (We encourage applicants to work collaboratively on proposals.) These proposals would then be reviewed and grants would be awarded by the Board of Directors of SD USA as they come in. These grants are not tied to the regular granting cycle of SD USA and the criteria for granting is less stringent than those we use for larger grants. We want these projects to succeed! So, if there seem to be problems in the application, we will try to work with the applicant(s).

Kids can apply, too! Members of the Subud community of any age can submit proposals, but those under age 16 should under the mentorship of a local adult Subud member.

Proposals should be submitted between March 1 – Dec. 31 of any given year. A brief progress report will be required from the recipient(s) at the end of the year.

Click here for the application form.

NB: If you have difficulty downloading this form through your browser, try right-clicking on the link (Windows), or Control-Click (Mac). Then select, “Download this Link.”

Contribute to the Melinda Wallis Memorial Fund

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SD in the Democratic Republic of Congo

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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.

25083370606_7d13083226_oFor 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 →

Clean Water at CEDERI Madimba

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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 5000 liters of water to the village.

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!

Part I: Well Construction

Part II: Bringing Water to the Village

Part III: An Interview with Villagers

A Joyful Journey! Making our own bricks to build schools, housing and hospitals

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Paul Roberge documents the long journey, supported by so many SD nationals and donors, to buy, transport and put into operation a brick-making machine for SD Congo that will help sustain the organisation and provide low-cost, high quality building materials for SD schools, clinics and hospitals in a country in desperate need of good infrastructure.
Continue reading →