It has been a struggle to title this Communiqué as it embraces many varied aspects of the work that is being done in Kandale. The initial title was ‘Perseverance’ to acknowledge the constant challenges the REVE Kandale community faces with every step of the journey, whether it is bringing a viable source of water to the village, building classrooms for the youth, developing jobs programs, empowering the young women of the community, nourishing the wild places and domesticated gardens, funding the soccer teams, and generating electricity to provide lights for the girl’s dormitories, the maternity and to power the internet and the new flour grinder. The more recent title was ‘Rendez-Vous’ to recognize the necessary networks and communities that have grown stronger these many years and without which REVE Kandale would not have the success that it does. ‘Seeing is Believing’ refers to the actual distribution of reading glasses to the community and, in the metaphoric sense, to the persistence of the vision that has brought so much positive change to the people of Kandale, despite the global difficulties due to the Covid virus.
This past April, Julie Martel, President of the Board of Directors for REVE Kandale Foundation, joined Colette on her return to Kandale. At the heart of their journey was the desire to install 10 new solar panels and a flour grinder in the newly renovated Depot. Colette and the Board put together an extensive itinerary to evaluate the projects underway. The road had other plans.
Julie is no stranger to life in the Congo as she was a fish culture volunteer for the Peace Corps from 1982 – 1984, and Regional Director for Bandundu through 1985. Her previous visit to Kandale was three years earlier and she eagerly looked forward to seeing the changes that had taken place. Upon arriving in Kinshasa, Colette and Julie met up with the three individuals who would be installing the flour grinder. Eric Passoukwene Minoungou and Macaire Nongueb-Zanga are representatives of Green Energy from Burkina Faso who had developed the technology to power a grinder with solar energy. Robert Bakulumpagi came from Uganda to install lights at the newly renovated girls dormitory and to install the inverter to transfer the current from DC to AC at the Depot to power the flour grinder. Unfortunately, Robert Bakulumpagi was unable to bring the inverter with him from Uganda and this team forced to locate one in Kinshasa.
The journey from Kinshasa to Kandale was arduous to say the least. The two vehicles were loaded down with 10 solar panels, 4 large batteries, weighing over 80 kg each, 4 smaller batteries, a mechanical flour grinder, an inverter, supplies and several passengers including the gentlemen from Burkina Faso and Uganda. Colette and the drivers hungrily thought of the grilled goat and chicken that awaited them in Kenge, halfway between Kinshasa and Kikwit. Normally the trip from Kinshasa to Kikwit would take 8 hours on the paved road, but this leg of the trip took over 21 hours because of four flat tires, heavy rain and an accident with a big truck. Fortunately no one was injured in the accident. After repairs had been completed in Kikwit the second leg of the trip from Kikwit to Kandale began along unpaved roads. Once again there was a major blow out and a broken axle that required mechanics to come from Kikwit to make further repairs. This delayed the trip by another seven hours. The people in Kandale waited anxiously for Colette and Julie's arrival. Without cell phone service there was no way to inform them of the difficulties en route.
Colette and Julie arrived with much fanfare and celebration, with long lines of people bringing 7 goats, sheep, firewood, cassava, millet, avocados, palm wine, along with lots of singing and dancing. The following day people were hoping the celebration would continue, but work took priority. The list of activities was extensive. In addition to the installation of the solar panels and the flour grinder, the community was looking forward to celebrating the opening of the girl’s dormitories.
Unfortunately, the inverter that was purchased in Kinshasa was not designed for the energy generated by the solar panels and the grinder did not work to its full potential. This will require Colette to return in late August to supplement the materials and get the grinder up and running.
Two additional girl’s dormitories have been completed with cement floors, a kitchen, and working lights because of the new solar panels, thanks to Saint Mark Presbyterian Church and Dr. Karl Klontz. This brings the capacity for housing students up to 80. The donated hygiene kits from Days for Girls Rockville, Md Chapter and Beverly Graham in California, were distributed by Colette who provided instructions on how to use them.
After the distribution of kits and official inauguration of the dormitory, a large celebration took place including a feast and dancing. The girls were so excited about moving into the dormitory and receiving mattresses, bedsheets, uniforms, mirrors, and kits that they stayed up all night singing and chatting, a luxury for them as they do not normally have the time due to the many chores required of them at home. They also took time to write letters to the donors thanking them for the packages.
Here is a view of one of the dormitories. Inside the girls are organizing their beds.
Here is a view of the dormitories during the day and with all the lights on from the newly installed solar panels.
Simultaneously a training program was underway in the Multi-Purpose Education Center, developed by the Centre de Recherche aux Initiatives de Développement, entitled, ABCD or Asset Based Community Development. The focus of ABCD is to empower communities to evaluate what resources they already have and build upon those strengths. There were representatives from 10 or more communities from as far as 70 miles away. The presenters gave many days of lectures and activities to engage the attendees. The presentation was held in French, Kikongo, Kipende, and Chiluba. People left the event brimming with enthusiasm for the possibilities available to them.
Many other projects continue to move forward. The primary school is nearly completed and is waiting for windows, paint, and permanent stairs to enter the buildings. All the new seven classrooms were furnished by a generous donation in memory of the late Melissa Kruppa, a teacher from Conneticut, who passed away from Covid. The training of community members in construction techniques continues and the students wear their helmets even when not training as a source of pride or possibly as a new fashion statement. In the Multi-Purpose Education Center, the spaces have been reorganized. The library has a new location to facilitate the use of the books. A room has been dedicated for computer training and accessing the internet.
ulie walked the perimeter of the forest and was completely impressed by the health and size of the natural space. Evidently the community deeply respects this environment and the need to protect it against trespassers. As in previous Communiqués, the need for water is pivotal to all activities in Kandale. Julie walked down the precarious route to the spring with some of the children to gain firsthand knowledge of the difficulties involved in providing water for drinking, cooking, and washing. It is a formidable task especially when one considers that children are carrying several gallons each trip.
Upon reflection Julie described her visit as though drinking through a firehose. There was a constant barrage of new experiences; an unending calendar of meetings to assess the many projects underway; and the need to anticipate how those projects will progress over time. Julie remarked that it was such a luxury to simply sit back with Colette at the end of the day as the sun was setting, to take in the fresh air and marvel at how much is being accomplished. The evenings would come alive with beautiful birds singing and flitting from one tree to another to feed on the many berries from the blooming forest.
A Kipende saying: ‘’Tshiololo diana bembewa mulembe go.’’
Mulembe is a special basket made in the village for fishing. It is designed like a sieve with holes to let water out and keep fish in. Sometimes when you pull the mulembe out of the water all you hear is the sound of water dripping out and making a noise that sounds like ‘tshiolololo’ and you can wait until the end when water is out but there’s no fish just the tshiolololo sound. But do not give up on your mulembe because sometimes there’s a big fish despite the tshiolololo sound.
There are many more exciting stories about the trip that we cannot fit into this one Communiqué. We invite you on Wednesday evening, June 22, to join Colette and Julie via Zoom for a live conversation about their recent trip to the Congo and the ongoing progress in Kandale. Stay tuned for more details about this event which will be sent out right on the heels of this Communiqué. Please be our guest free of charge and attend the Zoom meeting. Registration information will follow.
