Kintambo Children's Home - Democratic Republic
of Congo
The Salvation Army Kintambo Children's Home in the
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was created in 1975 by Corporal Rüegger, a
Swiss missionary, during the time of political turbulence and civil war which
broke throughout the country. During this time many children were abandoned in Kinshasa streets and
quite a number of young boys and girls were orphaned.
Touched by this situation, Caporal Rüegger called for
help to his Swiss compatriots and started taking care of these children.
In 1998, another civil war broke out, and to protect
these children from Rebels who were raping young girls and enrolling young boys
in the Army, the children were placed within families. Now, some children are
at the Kintambo home and others are in families.
Due
to the collapse of the economic infrastructures and systems within the DRC,
continued intensity of poverty ravages the population. The increased unemployment rate has caused
the children who have reached the age of education to have no access to
education and the few who do are no longer able to continue because of the
inability to pay school fees. All this
to say that education has become a great concern as most students' parents of
the schools are either poor or unemployed.
As the nation suffers and its consequences rest on the
population, many children are still abandoned at hospitals, on the streets and
so on. These children are assisted to some extent by the Army but needed funds
would help create a greater opportunity to better assist them and help them
reach their full potential.
There are 50 children being cared for in
the home. Sponsorship would help pay for
education fees, provide school requisites and organize spiritual activities.
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