Muoyo -- Life to You

Would You Drink This Water?

If you live in a rural Congolese village, you

probably drink water like this everyday.

 

 

Overall, less than half of the Congolese population has access to safe drinking water.  Access to clean drinking and sanitation is even more critical in the rural Congo.  Beyond the clear impact of inadequate water and sanitation on child health, the daily struggle to find clean water is itself a major obstacle to development, according to UNICEF Chief of Water, Environment and Sanitation Vanessa Tobin.  "It's the impact of the time that it takes for young women and young girls to carry water—sometimes up to two hours in the morning or up to two hours in the evening—as a result of the fact that any water supply is so far from their community," she said.  The urban-rural divide reveals some of the largest disparities in access to safe water and basic sanitation, most obviously in sub-Saharan Africa, where less than half of the population in rural communities has access to safe water. (Source: Progress for Children, UNICEF)

Congo Helping Hands will stop this practice by drilling water wells in central Congo.

 

You can download a FREE PDF version of this post, 'Would You Drink This Water?'. 

For more information and details, stay tuned.  Or visit with Congo Helping Hands on Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/CongoHelpingHands.

By Woody M. Collins

President, Congo Helping Hands

http://www.facebook.com/woody.collins

Excuse the Mud - Guest House Under Construction

A year ago, I was impressed with a group of women from the local Presbyterian Churches in Bulape.  While impressed, I was still upset with the women.  Here’s their story!

In September 2008, I visited the guest house being built by Mama Jackie, Mama Rose, and Mama Sylvie. The women had planned poorly.  They did not purchase enough tin sheets to finish the roof.  And now they were out of money.  They were asking for help.  I wrote about the women and their guest house in detail online.

 

Prior to my return almost a year later, our Presbyterian Women of Faith gave me some money to help the women’s building project.  When I returned to the guest house in June 2009, I was happy to see the roof was already completed.  The women had found the means to complete.  The guest house not finished.  And the women were still working.

 

Indeed, the roof was done.  Also, the exterior walls were there.  Yes, they are just there but looked like two rows of sticks.  The walls need to be filled with mud to create a wall.  The mud goes between the inner row of sticks and the outer row of sticks.

  

Both exteriors and interior walls need to be completed.  In the meantime please excuse the mud because women are at work.  Mud is necessary! 

Then finally, beds (carts) and tables will be made and put the rooms.  The guest house will have four lodging rooms plus a common sitting room.

Next year, I am sure the guest house will be complete.  These women will get it done.  They thanked women of Faith for their financial and prayer support.   

Visit http://www.CongoHelpingHands.org and http://www.EndingExtremePoverty.org for additional information and updates.

By Woody M. Collins

President

Congo Helping Hands

It Was More Than Just An Old Dusty Typewriter

In July 2008, I wrote an article about the plight of the School Lycee Dinanga, the girl’s commercial school in Bulape.  Last year, less than a hand-full of students in the entire village of Bulape passed their government examination.  What difference did an old dusty typewriter make?

 

 

Last week, I got a SMS (text) message from Justin, the headmaster of Lycee Dinanga and Congo Helping Hands’ project manager in Bulape.  Justin’s text message was short but it was powerful.

 

“All my 6 students from the 6^th form typing finished.  I mean they succeeded the government exams.”  WOW!  That’s great news.  I wanted more details.  Justin did not use all of his allocated 160 characters for his SMS message.  I had to send him at least two more messages to get more details. 

 

However, those few words meant so much for so many people, both here in Indiana and there in Bulape.  They represent some dreams answered.  And they represent the spark for more and bigger dreams.

 

The parents of those students should be proud of their children.  Those parents made sacrifices of time and money to allow their girls to attend and finish school.  And the students themselves need to be commended to sticking to it.  The conditions that they endured to finish are unbelievable.  The teachers deserve a hand, too.  After about four years of operations, the teachers finally started receiving their government pay.

 

You, the supporters of Congo Helping Hands, should rejoice in this step forward.  Some of you looked for and found those old dusty typewriters.  Others of you help pack and transport those old dusty typewriters.  Many of you supported us and our Congolese partners with your prayers and financial support.  Without YOU, these students would not have succeeded.

 

Visit http://www.CongoHelpingHands.org and http://www.EndingExtremePoverty.org for additional information and updates. 

 

A PDF version is available (free).  Download Your Old Dusty Typewriter Made a Difference 

 

 

By Woody M. Collins

President

Congo Helping Hands