Merry Christmas 2022!
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen!
Dear Friends of the Association Congo Social-Care e. V.,
"It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35).
It has become a good "tradition" for us to send you our Christmas newsletter before the end of the year. We want to express our deep gratitude for your support for our Congo project and to keep you informed about the projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Armed conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Since 1996, the DR Congo has repeatedly been confronted with armed conflicts. One of the main causes of these conflicts is the exploitation of the country's resources. Congo-Kinshasa has many "strategic raw materials", including cobalt, germanium and colombo-tantalite. Cobalt is mainly used for the production of batteries for hybrid and electric cars and for electronic products. While colombo-tantalite (coltan) is a rare raw material that is in high demand for the production of mobile phones, laptops and game consoles, coltan is also needed for hearing aids, pacemakers, airbags, navigation devices, surgical equipment, digital cameras and for the space industry. Therefore, the mineral is a sought-after smuggled good. It is estimated that 80 per cent of the world's known coltan reserves are located in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
War has been raging again in eastern DR Congo since the end of 2021. And since June 2022, the Rwandan-backed rebels of the March 23 Movement (M23) have been occupying several locations in the province of North Kivu. In the last report published in June 2022, United Nations experts confirmed the presence of Rwandan soldiers in M23 camps in DR Congo. Unfortunately, thousands of people are displaced in North Kivu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo as a result of these fightings.
Consequences of the war
The consequences of this imposed war are evident throughout the country. There is a humanitarian crisis. Many children have been separated from their families. Women and girls are exposed to rape and sexual violence. Elderly people in particular are victims of this war.
In 2008, the US aid agency International Rescue Committee (IRC) stated that since the outbreak of the Congo war in 1996, about 5.4 million people have died. In 2022, that number has almost doubled! This is the largest number of lives claimed by any war since the end of World War II in 1945. These victims died through direct violence or from the consequences of war, malnutrition, lack of medical care, displacement and rape.
Foundation and activities of Kongo Social-Care e.V.
We initiated the Congo Project in 2004 to support the poorest and neediest people in Congo. Unfortunately, the situation in Congo-Kinshasa has not changed significantly for over 20 years. But thanks to your support and the excellent work of our local staff, we have achieved a lot in the past year. In our three health centres and in the Herbert Brauhardt Clinic, 198 children were born. Medicines and medical products as well as surgical material were purchased for our health centres. The largest project was the construction of a drinking water well for the Brauhardt Clinic in Durba. Thanks to the construction of this drinking water well, we were able to secure permanent access to clean water for the local people and thus improve the living conditions of the children, the patients of the Brauhardt Clinic and the population of Durba. We are very grateful that we were able to achieve this project with your help.
There is still a lot to do. We have concrete plans. For the rest of the year 2022 and the year 2023, we have three projects that we want to implement:
1. Installation of solar systems
The next main project of the association is the installation of solar panels in the Brauhardt Clinic. Without a continuous power supply, the cold chain for certain vital medicines such as vaccines cannot be guaranteed, making prophylactic treatments impossible. The estimated quote for the solar panels is 4,300 Euros.
2. Purchase of laboratory equipment, a reagent set as well as a complete surgical set and equipment for the maternity ward.
We would like to renew the laboratory equipment as well as the equipment for the surgery and the maternity ward (electric binocular microscope, differential cell counter for white blood cells, photo colourimeter, biochemical reagents, electric centrifuge, medical refrigerator, glucose test, maternity bed, baby scales, a complete surgical set and a hydraulic surgical bed). All these medical supplies could be purchased in Ariwara (DR Congo) or Kampala (Uganda). The estimated quote is 7,400 euros.
3. Means of Transport for the doctor
The Brauhardt Clinic does not have any means of transport. Until we acquire an ambulance one day, we would like to equip the clinic with a SENKE motorbike worth 800 Euros (including motorbike helmet). With the motorbike, our doctor will be able to visit patients and treat them on site.
We thank you for the trust you have placed in us so far and look to the future with hope and enthusiasm. We sincerely count on your kindness and generosity so that with your help and support we can continue our present projects and successfully achieve new ones in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Also on behalf of the entire board of our Association Congo Social-Care e.V. I wish you and your families a Merry Christmas 2022, health and God's blessings for the New Year 2023.
Dr. Dr. Jean-Bertrand Madragule Badi
(Pater Badi O.P.)
Chairman Kongo Social-Care e. V.
