05. Isle of Idjwi – Democratic Republic of Congo
The island of Idjwi of Lake Kivu, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is a really lovely place. It is the second largest island in the African hinterland – a place of extraordinary natural beauty, with beautiful mountains, green forests, picturesque coves, beautiful beaches. But it is also the place with one of the lowest life expectancies in the world, only 25 years, according to studies conducted by Amani Global Works. This is because there is a very high infant mortality rate. People suffer from desperate poverty, malnutrition, lack of adequate health care. Moreover, the situation has worsened since a huge number of people fled the civil war taking place in that area and used the island as a refuge. Local institutions seem to have totally forgotten about Idjwi.
For many years, Kizungu Hubert, with his Volunteers in Mission for Children Care – VMCC, has been looking for ways to help the people of his native island. With the help of numerous donors, he started a large permaculture project, created a poultry farm, started a hive program, built a school for girls and is now starting a health clinic. Through these projects, Kizungu aims to empower the local population and enable them to live a healthier and more prosperous life.
The Cariello Corbino Foundation (Helen Pope, David Simms and Alberto Corbino with the photographer Miguel Amortegui) visited the island in April 2019. We were welcomed in an exciting way by hundreds of children and locals and we decided to assist Kizungu achieve his vision and co-finance:
- the hive project
- the poultry farm project
Finally, we decided to make a small donation targeted for people in desperate need of urgent medical care.
| 5. Project name: | Idjwi Island Community support |
| Country / Place | Democratic Republic of Congo / Nord Kivu / Idjwi Island |
| Purpose of the project | Hunger relief, agriculture development, first aid; cultural integration (Pygmy – Bantu) |
| Beneficiaries | The most vulnerable people of Idjwi Island , including the Pygmy community |
| Local Partner | Volunteers in Mission for Children Care – VMC |
| FCC type of support | Financial |
| International partners | Dr. Helen Pope (http://supportingidjwiisland.com) |
| Notes: | Eggs and honey production, agricoltural tools for the pygmy community |
| Donations per year (€) | Euros (activities, items) |
| 2019 | 4.000/00 (Eggs production and first aid) |
| 2020 | 17.185/00 (Eggs and honey production, agricoltural tools for pygmy community) |
| 2021 | 17.485/00 (Land purchase for pygmy community, honey production, garden) |
| 2022 | 25.864,58 (Poultry community project + school garden + scabies) |
| 2023 | 10.419,65 (Poultry community project + school garden + scabies) |
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