Entrepreneurship & Leadership Skills for Widows, Orphans & Street Children in Congo
One of the FONDAMU objectives is to promote entrepreneurship among vulnerable people, especially women who have been raped, widows, handicapped people, street and orphaned children. Every time we have the opportunity to educate, coach and support these people we seek to empower them and help them become more self-reliant. To do so we need to develop among them entrepreneurship and leadership skills so that they can set an example, help others in turn, and move toward economic sustainability.
 Young orphans are learning carpentry as their future business at CEOL in Nyabunkungu. |
Our approach is to offer workshops that can give people a new chance in life. We instruct people in a skill or craft such as sewing, carpentry, masonry, small animal husbandry (rabbit, guinea pig, poultry, goat, and pig) or vegetable gardening. We also teach these new leaders how to sell the fruits of their labours. These workshops take place in a FONDAMU sponsored social home or training centre such as (a) the orphan education centre called CEOL (Centre d’Encadrement des Orphelins Locaux) in Nyabunkungu, (b) a social home for blind people to be called FoSoMo,( Foyer Social Modèle), or (c) the social centre for the blind to be called FOSAC (Foyer Social pour Aveugles à Cizirhu). For those who demonstrate an ability in entrepreneurship, we provide a small microcredit loan in the form of cash, or sometimes in the form of workshop materials or animals for breeding. FONDAMU staff provides with additional coaching for up to two years to ensure that the business is a success.
Modules of leadership training are being developed for people who attend at the sponsored facilities, social homes, training centres, and in evening classes for adults. Larger start up opportunities are made available to those who demonstrate particular motivation and ability so that they can employ several other people in their new business. Here, too, FONDAMU staff offer coaching for two years to make sure the new businesses have a good start.
 Young orphans in a CEOL's modest classroom at Nyabunkungu in Ngweshe. |
At FONDAMU we have also a plan to grow wonder plants such as Aloe vera, locally known as Cigaka, which has many medicinal and cosmetic uses, and Moringa, a nutrient-rich plant that is used as food for people and livestock. Aloe vera grows well in the upland Kivu areas of the Walungu Territory. We have had success cultivating Moringa at our headquarters in Kinshasa, and will test its cultivation in eastern Congo also. We hope to interest people abroad in buying the Aloe vera and Moringa produce from FONDAMU sponsored businesses.
 Moringa grows by our office in Kinshasa |
The dairy industry used to be part of the culture in Ngweshe, eastern Congo, from the colonial times until the 1970s. A long term FONDAMU endeavour is to (a) first bring back the cattle to households in Ngweshe through a revolving livestock breeder credit; and (b) after 10 years when many of the households have enough dairy products for themselves; we will lobby for a dairy product industry. Such an industry would collect excess fresh milk from peasants and add value by making cheese, yoghurt, fermented or pasteurized milk to sell to neighbouring countries in the great lake region of sub-Saharan Africa. It is through the industrialization of the farming sector that poverty would be alleviated in the Walungu Territory and upland Kivu. The stability of the peasant economy there will be enhanced if other industries, including information technology, can be established in Ngweshe also, and FONDAMU staff will seek to establish contacts with those who recognize this opportunity.
 |
 Aloe vera is known as Cigaka in Ngweshe |
 |
|
 Husbandry of rabbits and guinea pigs in a widows’ head of household in Ngweshe. |
|
Please DONATE to FONDAMU to support the people who want to be trained for entrepreneurship and leadership
| Make a Monthly Donation | |
| Give a one-time donation | |
| Donate to our Entrepreneurship Program | |
| Help underwrite our Leadership Program | |
| Provide a microcredit loan for a small business | |
| Support the Aloe Vera and Moringa Initiatives in the Villages of Walungu Territory |