Merry Christmas 2020!

Ceremonial inauguration of the Herbert Brauhardt Clinic in Durba

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear friends and supporters of the Kongo Social-Care e. V. Association.

Brief Work Report 2019: Construction of Brauhardt Clinic and Toilets

The financial year 2019 has been completed and our documents have been certified by our tax advisor, sworn auditor and legal counsel, Mr. Ottmar Müller, graduate economist. These documents were presented to the annual general meeting on 12 September 2020 for inspection. In comparison to the previous year, we were able to almost double our financial aid to the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2019 to 39,823.22 Euros.

With the support of our donors we have experienced a lot during last year and this year and have achieved even more. Our main project was the construction of a new building for the Brauhardt Clinic. The following departments were created during construction: an ambulatory, a pharmacy, a laboratory, a surgery department and an in-patient department. Thanks to your generous support we were able to complete the new building of the clinic.The new building is already equipped with hospital beds, mattresses and a shelf for medicine.

The second planned project was the construction of toilets, shower rooms and washbasins. The sanitary facilities comprise the following: a toilet for nursing staff, one toilet for women and one for men and a shower, respectively. Thanks to your support, we were also able to complete these sanitary facilities, which reduce the risk of the coronavirus spreading and thus protect patients from infection. These sanitary facilities also help to ensure the hygiene standards in the clinic.

Ceremonial Inauguration of the Brauhardt Clinic in Durba

After one year, we are pleased to announce that the new building of the Brauhardt Clinik and the sanitary facilities were officially inaugurated on 8 November 2020. Apart from staff of the Brauhardt Clinik also members of governmental authorities, the military and chiefs as well as the civilian population took part in this celebration. Jérémie Mazuda, the person in charge of the Congolese association ADEBES (Action for Development and Social Well-Being), took the opportunity to express his gratitude for the optimum working conditions now created for the Brauhardt Clinik staff. For the guest's physical well-being a festive lunch with traditional Congolese food and drink was offered to them. The ceremonial inauguration was followed by a guided tour through the newly created Brauhardt Clinik building.

Thanks to Donors

These two projects could not be achieved without your support. At this point I would like to thank especially Auxiliary Bishop Ludger Schepers, Episcopal Vicar for World Church and Mission of the Diocese of Essen, who promised the basic funding of the Herbert Brauhardt Clinic in Durba. The start of construction was also made possible thanks to the generous support of the parish of St. Hubertus in Krefeld with the proceeds from the Advent bazaar and the donation of carol singers from the parish of St. Josef-Traar.

I would also like to thank the members, friends and supporters of Kongo Social-Care e. V. for a large number of individual activities: Donations from the Jecken Juppis community from Krefeld-Traar, donations from the circle of friends of our deceased member Bernward Plenker, donations from the   senior community Liebfrauen-Altenbochum-Laer and table tennis group Mohrendyk in Krefeld as well as donations from birthday parties, a donation from a private bazaar, a donation from a private carnival event and a donation in connection with the bereavement of Magda Malutzki. Your generous donation not only enabled us to build the Brauhardt Clinic, but also to finance the following actions: medical care, needed (medical) protective equipment due to the Corona pandemic, child sponsorship, repair of the fire engine, etc.

Well Construction- Water for the Herbert Brauhardt Clinic in Durba

For 2021, the main focus is on the well construction - water for the Herbert Brauhardt Clinic in Durba. The costs for the well construction amount to a total of 15.000,00 Euro.

The lack of clean water is a major cause of disease in the Durba region and has considerable consequences for the direct care of patients at the Brauhardt Clinic. Accordingly, the supply of clean water is essential. After all, we in Germany cannot imagine having a hospital without running and clean water!
The region is severely affected by the water shortage. Thousands of people suffer the direct or indirect consequences of the use of polluted water.

With the construction of drinking water wells in Durba, we would like to improve the living conditions of the children, the patients of the Brauhardt Clinic as well as of the population in Durba and its surroundings. It is only with your loyal solidarity and financial support that we can continue to make our Congo projects possible in the coming year.

Opportunities to donate or give

In the course of life, there may be several opportunities to donate or give as a gift. For example, if you are celebrating a birthday, wedding or anniversary, you could use this personal celebration to ask for a donation for Congo projects instead of a gift.

Possibilities for Inheritance

There are also people who support others in need not only during their lifetime, but also beyond their death. We would be pleased if you would consider the association Kongo Social-Care e. V. in your will as heir or legatee. You could stipulate to leave something very specific to the association Kongo Social-Care e. V. as for example: an amount of money, real estate or land. If you have any questions, please contact us.

Members of the Board of Directors are Father Badi OP and the following persons

The sixth ordinary general meeting of the association Kongo Social-Care e. V. took place, under corona conditions, in the garden of family Michael Mevissen in Tönisvorst in September 2020 and three new board members were elected.

Ludwig Baumeister from Krefeld as vice chairman
Barbara Baranowska from Berlin as treasurer
Thomas Schoppa from Bochum as secretary.

Father Badi OP back in the Dominican monastery in Liège!

After my previous priestly service in the Archdiocese of Cologne, the Diocese of Aachen and the Diocese of Essen in Germany, I will return to the Dominican Monastery of St. Albertus Magnus in Liège in Belgium between Christmas 2020 and new January 2021. I thank you for the friendly welcome and the valuable encounters. The current Corona crisis shows us how much importance we humans attach to personal encounters. I was able to carry out my priestly ministry with all my heart, because I felt carried by the trust of the faithful of our Catholic Parish Liebfrauen Bochum. I leave with a laughing and a crying eye, because Germany has become my second home. I am sure we will meet again and at least keep in touch.

I am looking forward to the community life in the monastery in Belgium. From here I will continue to carry out my task as chairman of the board of our association Kongo Social-Care e. V. You are also very welcome in my third home country Belgium!

Final Thanks – Please donate permanently!

Thanks to the support of many women and men, we are able to continue and expand the successful work of the association Kongo Social-Care e. V. in my birthplace, the Democratic Republic of Congo. Therefore, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all sponsors on behalf of the entire board of the association - also for the regular donations and other forms of support. In this corona pandemic, which makes social relations, personal encounters and many events more difficult, I would like to ask you for the first time, dear supporters and friends, to call attention to our work in the Democratic Republic of Congo in order to attract more new members, more permanent donors. The association currently has only one permanent donation! "It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20, 35).
In the name of the association Kongo Social-Care e. V. we wish you and your relatives a peaceful Advent season, a blessed Christmas and a peaceful 2021.
All the best and God's blessing. Stay healthy!

Pater Badi OP
Chairman