In June 2010, Chantal Kasongo began to make her dream into a reality. Long concerned about the orphans and widows in her country of birth, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Chantal had been saving to buy some land in Lubumbashi – a city of almost 2 million people, the second largest in the DRC – in the southeast of the country. She was able to pay for a 366.52 square metre plot and has worked with a handful of volunteers since to develop services, through Coquitlam-based Shiloh Place Orphanage Society (www.shilohplace.ca ), to support both orphans and the people in the low income neighbourhood.
The community now has access to a covered well and a community centre/chapel which offers adult education, health information, and community meeting space on weekdays and a place of worship on Sunday. Several orphaned children, living with relatives, are sponsored ($250/year) for the costs of attending school (not free in the DRC). The next step was to make elementary education accessible to the community. (Some 16% of children in the DRC, ages 6 to 11, cannot go to school due to fees and other costs.)
In time for the 10th anniversary, building has begun of the first of a proposed 3 classrooms that will offer elementary school education to girls and boys from the local neighbourhood – tuition and uniform free. (State schools require tuition, uniforms, and good shoes to attend.) The first classroom is expected to be ready for students this September. With support from a seed money grant from The Pollination Project of California and a lot of local fundraising, the bricks were bought and the makings for cement ordered to create the first classroom and toilet block and to lay a foundation for future classrooms.
“We are so grateful to the organizations and individuals who have contributed funds, the media who have helped “spread the word” of the need, local donors and the volunteers who have fundraised”, Kasongo said. “With the construction underway, we are looking at funds for the classroom contents – a blackboard (approximately US$60), 18 double desks for students ($40 each), and some shelving/storage. Alternately, we would appreciate funds to purchase more bags of cement ($14/each) to finish the floor and walls of the classroom and hygiene block. If you have a child or grandchild graduating this Spring, will you consider funding a student desk – or a bag of cement – as part of your gift to your grad, celebrating your family member’s educational success?”
“Tax deductible receipts are available for donations over $25 by making the payment out to Umoja Operation Compassion Society and writing on the message line Shiloh Place classroom project. If a donation receipt is not required, please make the cheque out to Chantal Kasongo, with SPO classroom project in the memo line. Cheques can be mailed to Shiloh Place Orphanage #211 – 615 North Rd. Coquitlam V3B 1P1. Other ways to donate are via Pay Pal or by e-transfer to siloplace@gmail.com ”. For more information about SPO’s classroom project, contact Shelagh Armour-Godbolt at 604-415-9397 or shelaghag@shaw.ca .
Celebrate your graduate’s hard work and educational success and the hard work of Chantal and her volunteers with a donation toward finishing the first SPO classroom so classes start, well equipped, this fall. Children in the DRC – for whom education is a key to rising out of poverty – will be so grateful!
