World Vision's Southern Region Leadership Witnesses Impact in DRC Communities

By Didier Nagifi, Communications Officer

World Vision DRC recently welcomed a delegation from its Southern Region office, made up of Mark Kelly, Director of the Southern Region, and Abi Riak, Director of Operations.  They visited Kinshasa and the province of Kongo Central, west of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their mission aimed to get a feel for the reality and listen to the beneficiaries of the organisation's programmes, particularly the most vulnerable children and their communities.

In Maluku, a commune in the city of Kinshasa, Abi visited a school built by World Vision and connected to a solar-powered drinking water supply system. This support for education, which guarantees good study conditions for pupils, is having a huge impact in this community. 

‘The Maluku programme, supported by sponsorship from World Vision US and private funding from World Vision Hong Kong, has installed solar panels to pump water and support local communities. The staff are dedicated every day to serving the most vulnerable children, with a commitment to the Name of Christ,’ she said.

In Kinshasa, Abi also visited one of the families that have received support from World Vision, and one of whose children has taken part in the Positive Deviance Hearth programme. James has now recovered from malnutrition. His parents were delighted to see such follow-up after their child's ordeal. 

‘My son was suffering from malnutrition because I couldn't give him the right food to grow up healthy. Thanks to the Positive Deviance Hearth approach and the in-home sessions, I took part in 12 sessions where I learned how to cook balanced meals and follow good hygiene practices. By the end of the programme, James had regained his health thanks to the support of World Vision. I hope that World Vision will continue to help other families facing the same difficulties because without their intervention, my child might no longer be with us. Thank you,‘ says Mado, James’ mother.

For his part, Mark Kelly met a sponsored child from AP Ngandu who, thanks to World Vision's support, has learned how to raise rabbits.

‘Gabriel is part of World Vision's sponsorship programme and received training in rabbit breeding. It was something that interested him. He breeds rabbits, sells rabbits, and eats them. It's all part of nutrition. So many children in the Democratic Republic of Congo and across the continent suffer from malnutrition. That's why we're trying to raise awareness of the ‘Enough’ campaign, telling people that there's enough food and that it's enough that children are suffering from malnutrition. We have these programmes at a very community level that are making a difference to children's lives’, explains Mark Kelly, moved by Gabriel's commitment.

In the Kongo Central Cluster, the Loma and Kisantu PAs were visited. Here, savings groups are highly developed and help to lift families out of poverty by financing commercial activities that generate income for these families to meet their needs. This initiative is a good example of empowering local communities. 

‘Integrated farming programmes, combined with savings groups, enable families to improve their agricultural yields while saving money. These initiatives strengthen small businesses and help parents provide nutritious food for their children’, explained Mark Kelly.

This visit enabled us to see the profound impact of World Vision's actions on the well-being of children and their families in these programme areas. Improving their quality of life and their access to education and health remains a key priority for World Vision, marking significant progress towards a better future.