Child sponsorship letter from Bukavu
12/07/2007
Update from June 2007
Dear sponsors,
At the first term of the year 2007, the SOS Children’s Village of Bukavu comes to pass away from the heavy rainy season to a less rainy period as a transition to the dry season. And this tallies with the holidays of children and youths.
The Democratic Republic of Congo, our country is now blowing a small air of peace with the setting up of the new political institutions stemmed from the late democratic elections of the last autumn.
Nevertheless, there are still some fields of insecurity in the area situated at 40 to 60 kilometres away from Bukavu and in the open of the town. The site of the SOS Children’s Village of Bukavu is still occupied by soldiers and the lives of children and youths are not at ease due to this situation.
This half part of the year has been mainly stood out by the fulfilment and the development of SOS children and youths at all levels. They have actively participated on different cultural and sporting activities of the Village at the occasion of important ceremonies and events. Children and youths of the surroundings have also been associated on all these activities. The interaction between SOS children and youths with those of the surroundings is a proof of the SOS Children’s Village integration in the community.
Choirs of the surroundings have produced concerts at the Village in partnership with our catholic and protestant choirs. The SOS Primary school has served as a frame for recollection for youths’ groups and choirs that have asked for it.
By the end of this term, the SOS Children’s Village of Bukavu has 150 children among whom 65 girls and 85 boys. They all live in 15 SOS family houses.
The number of youth facilities ups to 11 among which 3 girls youth facilities and 8 boys youth facilities. There are 146 SOS youths who live there among whom 50 young girls and 76 young boys. Each of these youth facilities is supervised by an educator.
The three youth facilities of young girls and one of boys function within the boundary of the SOS Children’s Village and the other 7 youth facilities of boys are located in the town of Bukavu at a distance of about 7 to 10 kilometres away from the SOS Children’s Village.
These children are kept up on the educative plan by the pedagogical team of the Children’s Village. They are composed of the Director of the village, the Pedagogic Responsible, the social assistant, 15 SOS mothers and 9 aunts with the participation of SOS Hermann Gmeiner teachers and educators of the SOS Kindergarten.
The training centres of the surroundings do not answer to the real talents and aptitudes of the SOS children and youths. Due the insignificant number of professional training centres and the subjects organised, we plan to open a professional training centre whose building would start during the last term of the year in course, with the financing of the Dutch government in partnership with SOS Kinderdorpen.
The repartition of the SOS children and youths at the SOS kindergarten, at SOS primary school, at high school, professional centres and university is as follows:
- 07 children haven’t been at school yet
- 29 children among whom 21 girls and 8 boys frequent the SOS Nursery School
- 81 children among whom 56 girls and 25 boys frequent the SOS Primary school
- 06 children among whom 5 boys and 01 girl frequent another surrounding primary school( GROSKA)
- 02 children of one of our family houses frequent a professional training centre
- 96 youths among whom 64 young boys and 32 young girls study in the secondary schools of the surroundings
- 19 youths among whom 7 girls and 12 boys frequent the professional training centres
- 31 youths among whom 20 boys and 11 girls follow the university studies in the surrounding universities and high institutions
So, the SOS Children’s Village of Bukavu frames 295 children and youths among whom 114 girls and 181 boys. One of the family houses’ child have already stopped schooling due to illness.
The achievement of our children and youths in the course of this first term of the year 2007 has been successful due to the better teaching background they had, the care they benefited from the pedagogical team made of qualified and well hearted responsible (aunts, mothers, educators and other coaches).
The assistance of the SOS Children’s Village to children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS and other vulnerable children in their families goes on. They are 250 now and receive assistance in providing them the school fees, medical care and the foodstuffs.
The tutors of those children are also assisted in micro credits for the revenue -creating activities. They have ameliorated their living conditions and happen to pay back on time.
The subsidiary units such as SOS schools and the SOS medical Centre which function within the boundary of the SOS Children’s Village give a necessary support for the better development of children and youths as well as for the surroundings.
- The SOS Nursery School of 5 classrooms puts into a frame 136 kids among whom 29 SOS children and 107 children of the surroundings
- The SOS Primary school of 12 classes, puts into a frame 423 kids among whom 88 SOS children and 335 children of the surroundings
- The SOS Medical Centre gives medical care to SOS Children, the personnel and even the surroundings
Moves go on for the construction of the new SOS Children’s Village in Kinshasa, the capital of DR Congo.
By the end, the SOS Children’s village of Bukavu has received numerous visits from high personalities among whom civilians, soldiers, politicians and communication firms. It is the case of the Humanitarian Affairs Minister on March 21st, 2007, the National President of the Social Movement on may 17th, 2007.
The most important and valuable visit was that of a delegation of Belgian journalists that escorted SOS friends who had sojourned in the village from June, 3rd to 6th, 2007 and was conducted by Mister VINCENT COMPAGNIE who told our youths about the importance of sport. He offered sport equipments such as footballs, loose fitting jackets, not only to SOS children and youths but also to children of the surroundings. He profited from this occasion to meet provincial authorities and told them about SOS Children’s Villages. Children were very happy with the delegation and some of them got sponsors from the members of the same delegation.
We are very thankful for the support you give to the SOS Children’s Village of BUKAVU and please you to accept our salutations.
Thaddée BASHIZI MUGISHO
Village Director
Relevant Countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo.