This web site shows some of the wonderful work being done by the Congolese order; The Sisters of St. Joseph. This small order of sisters run a most impressive range of projects in Congo, and some of their work is shown in the following pages.
We have been tracking the progress of the building and opening of a new school in the village of Chamalale, about 6km north of the southern Congolese city of Lubumbashi.
It is called the 'St. Benet's School For Peace' and it opened in September, 2005, initially for nursery age children (4 to 6 years old). A year later as the nursery children moved up into Primary 1, a new intake of nursery children was enrolled. The population of the village has been dramatically increased following a large influx of refugee families from the north and east of the country which is still in the hands of rival warlords. This village previously had no school meaning that, until the school opened, about 1,500 children had no local access to any education.
The school is called 'St. Benet's School for Peace'. It is twinned with St. Benet's Catholic primary school in Beccles, England; hence the name. It is in the Beccles area that most of the fund-raising for the school has taken place.
The projects included in this web site are in the south of the Democratic Republic of Congo
United Nations Map (from Internet)
Congo is a very large country, about the size of western Europe. The projects included in this web site are in the south of the Democratic Republic of Congo, based in the city of Lubumbashi. This is a copper mining town but, owing to the serious unrest in Congo over recent years, the mine has been periodically closed causing devastation to the local economy. It is operating at the moment but probably at only a fraction of its potential output.
United Nations Map (from Internet)
All schools in Congo are currently run by voluntary groups. The sisters of the Congregation of St Joseph are very active in Congo and have previously built a clinic and accommodation for the nursing staff in Chamalale. The sisters acquired land opposite the clinic for this school for local village children and for the children of refugee families
The school is developing a special curriculum designed to promote peace and reconciliation and staff work with the children and their families to put aside past differences and encourage mutual understanding and respect
Fund-raising in the UK has provided the means to get this project well under way but we still need to raise a further $25,000 to finish funding the work done. The bricks were made by local craftsmen on site using earth from termite mounds and then fired (see making bricks page).
All money raised is used for the project. Nothing is deducted for overheads or expenses. The money is taken out to Congo in euros and handed personally to the sisters at the Convent St. Joseph. We are, therefore, certain that all the money reaches its proper destination and is used only for the purpose intended.