A Message From The President*

*Julie Martel, President of the Board of the REVE Kandale Foundation

The Communiqué is delighted to host Julie Martel for this issue. She has first hand knowledge of what is happening in Kandale. So without further delay, Julie Martel.

"I am delighted to pen this Communiqué on the ground in Kandale amidst the bustle of construction for the long awaited solar powered water system. After I landed in Kinshasa, Colette and I gathered the final supplies needed. We made a delightful visit to the fabric market. When ready, we headed off at the crack of dawn. Fellow travelers included James Kabunga. the project supervisor from Uganda, the construction manager from Kinshasa and the owner of the company that drilled the well last year, as well as specialists in plumbing, soldering and building.

The smooth sailing from Kinshasa to Kikwit and on to Kandale was a good omen for the trip. Our early arrival took everyone in Kandale by surprise, but they soon organized their usual warm greetings replete with singing and dancing.

Fencing for solar panels. Poles to support the solar panels. Installing the panels.

Everyone was anxious to jump into the work. Within an hour of arrival preparations for the next day were launched. Construction leaders were assessing the site, confirming specifications and preparing equipment. There had been a village-wide effort to collect sand and stones needed for construction. Women said how happy they were to help since they would be relieved of lugging water out of the steep valley. As a symbol of their gratefulness, the women’s choir arrived in church carrying stones on their heads.

Early pump house. Pump House. Cistern Area. Inserting pump.

Monday morning work started early on a range of tasks to construct the multiple components needed. One group started digging holes to build stands for mounting the solar panels. The stands were carefully constructed to hold panels at the optimal angle for the site. Within a week the solar array was fully mounted and fenced in. The pump house containing the well was a busy place. As it was constructed the temporary pump was removed and the new stronger pump was inserted. A foundation for the two large cisterns was started. A small house will hold the counter where people will purchase their water and fill their containers.

Water flowing. Cistern House. James monitoring water.

We were thrilled with a successful test hook-up of the system. Water flowed once again and we saw the panels and pump could supply power to pump water at a fast rate. The biggest impediment to the progress of the water project ironically, has been water. We have been reminded on a daily basis that the rainy season is in full swing. At this rate we look forward to the system being open for business in the coming weeks. A million thanks from everyone in Kandale for all those who have supported this effort. The joy is palpable."

The Construction Crew

Thank you Julie, Colette, and James for all your hard work in Kandale. It is apparent that change has been happening very fast and we hope to have another update very soon.

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A Bed A Boat and A River*

(actually 20 beds, 4 boats, and the Kwilu River)

Normally the east and west banks of the Kwilu in Kandale are traversed by a ‘bac’. The bac is a ferry that moves from shore to shore with the help of adjustable rudders and moving water. It is very simple and ingenious. The bac is very effective when carrying trucks, commuters, and even cattle. Unfortunately, the bac is no longer in operation and work has begun on a bridge, the first ever, but completion of the bridge is a long way off.  

The 20 beds have had to be transported by dugout canoe or pirogue in French. The dugout canoe parallels the history of humanity and for most cultures it predates the wheel. The Kwilu is full at this time of the year and the REVE Kandale crew has been busy loading the dugouts and steering the beds from shore to shore. A precarious journey, one of many these canoes have seen over the years. Once collected on the western shore they will need to be carried the four miles up to Kandale. With the ongoing bridge construction, there is competition for the river stones. Merveille Gilatulu, the REVE Kandale Teamleader, will be negotiating with the bridge construction team to use their truck and transport the stones from the river to Kandale.

Last Sunday the truck arrived in Kandale. Merveille was on hand to supervise the unpacking. Everything arrived safely and all the materials were organized and stored to await the arrival of Colette, Julie and James. Amongst the many items packed into the barrels, the girls found a cache of dresses donated by “Project Dress A Girl”. Their smiles speak volumes. As the unpacking continues we anticipate many, many more smiles.

The garden continues to flourish. As the dry season approaches, the new water pump will be greatly needed to maintain all the leafy greens and lush vegetables. 

Julie Martel arrives in Kinshasa on Wednesday and James Kabunga, a few days later. After collecting a few last minute items, the team will leave for Kandale, eight hours to Kikwit and another six to Kandale. If all goes well, a two day trip. Safe travels.

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An Abundance of Joy

Life continues in Kandale and with every passing week there are constant reminders that life is changing…for the better. 

Students are enthusiastic about their lessons.

The garden is under constant care with new crops harvested and the ground lovingly tilled. New fences are constantly needed to accommodate the expanding garden and to keep out the voracious goats.

Unfortunately the rainy season often makes the northern road out of Gungu impassable. The wet clay becomes very slick and only allows motorcycles to pass. Many people will make the 8 km journey on foot to navigate this stretch, but with heavy bundles it is very challenging. People can be seen at the top of the photo, walking the slippery path. The local road crew has been dispatched to repair the damage, as it is a critical thoroughfare for agricultural goods bound for Kinshasa and other towns along the way. This impasse might also delay the arrival of the new water pump, but it has not delayed the collection of stones.

 Everyone has been participating in the collection, young and old, student and teacher alike. Here in the US, one might bring your favorite teacher an apple, in Kandale one’s enthusiasm is measured in rocks. The pile grows day by day.

On Friday, February 2nd, the Democratic Republic of Congo, (The Leopards), beat Guinea 3-1 in the African Cup of Nations. The Multi-Purpose Center was very crowded with enthusiastic viewers. A screen was set up and connected to the internet, so that people could watch the match. This was a first for Kandale. This past Wednesday the Multi Purpose Center was even more packed to watch the semi-finals with DRC competing against Ivory Coast.  It was very, very exciting!!! Unfortunately Ivory Coast won 1 – 0. Every one was very disappointed, but it was unique opportunity to bring the community together. One person in attendance wrote, “Mama you’ve done a wonderful thing. We are very happy. Everybody is gathered in the multipurpose center to watch the games.” The connections to the greater world grow day by day.

* Last month's Communiqué was mistakenly dated December 21, 2024 instead of January 21. Oops!

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Resolutions Realized

Bon Année!!! The New Year is a time of change, a time when we make resolutions and often stray from those optimistic intentions.  The community in Kandale has remained resolute and continues to nurture the progress that has been made these past several years. The vegetable garden is maintained, the flour grinder continues to process grains, saplings emerge in the wild area, teachers prepare new lessons, students clamor for new ideas and stay in practice for the next soccer match

By the time this Communiqué goes out, Colette will have arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This visit will be an extended one with many trips to Kandale. 

In keeping with the New Year's resolutions of the REVE Kandale Foundation, Colette’s first order of business will be to transport the new solar powered water pump to Kandale. The pump arrived in the Kinshasa airport on Thursday and Colette is presently coordinating the on site construction with a variety of individuals. 

The rainy season is waning and the people of Kandale are collecting stones to house the new pump. It is a labor of love, not unlike the line in “Field of Dreams”,” If you build it they will come.” The pile is a symbol of optimism. Everyone remembers the thrill of seeing water gushing from the ground last spring when the pump was first installed.

In the months ahead the Communiqué will continue to keep you informed of the progress being made with many brilliant photos, of course.

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Bring Hope and Clean Water to Kandale in 2024!!!

The past year has been one of excitement and change in Kandale. The primary school – a safe and nurturing learning environment – was completely finished with a coat of paint and windows. And in June, thanks to donors like you, a borehole was drilled to bring clean water to Kandale. There is joy and hope in Kandale!

Unfortunately, Kandale still needs a solar-powered pump system to bring water to the surface and store and dispense it. A rented diesel pump provided three months of water during the dry season, but today Kandale is still relying on rainwater and a dangerous trek down a steep embankment to the spring. While we have raised much of the money needed, we still need an additional $20,000 to purchase and install a permanent solar-powered pump system before the start of the dry season..

What will a solar-powered pump system mean for Kandale? It means…

• Children won’t have to make that trek to fetch water and miss class…they can focus on their studies rather than be hungry and tired from the long, steep walk.

• Every household will have an adequate supply of clean water to drink, to wash, and to cook with…decreasing illness and keeping their families healthy and strong.

• The region’s only maternity clinic will have clean water…ensuring the health and well-being of mothers and babies during birth.

The rainy season ends in just a few months so installing a solar-powered pump is more important than ever. The borehole was a success and now we just need to make water accessible without interruption. You can help bring clean water to Kandale by making a donation today.

All donations made by December 31st will be matched up to $5,000 thanks to a challenge offered by a generous donor. Please make your donation today to double your giving!

Your donation will not only bring clean water to Kandale, it will bring renewed hope and change the lives of so many families who struggle every day just to have enough water to sustain them. We often say that “water is life”…and in Kandale there is no greater truth.

But don’t take our word for it…here is Mbungu Masashi’s story about the water crisis in Kandale. She is the mother of five children.

“Since the rented pump broke things have been very difficult. We are facing a water crisis. Children were used to getting water, but now they are reluctant to fetch water and walk down the steep path. We don’t have enough water to drink, wash hands, cook, clean dishes, or give a glass of clean water to someone traveling through Kandale. Many of us want to pay for the repair...but one day we hope to have the solar-powered pump and not have to worry about having enough water ever again!”

Please donate today to bring clean water and hope to Kandale in 2024. In addition, we are raising funds needed to support other key projects. We are grateful for your support…it truly makes a difference in Kandale.

Yours truly,
Julie Martel
Board President

 P.S. Remember, your donation will be matched dollar for dollar!

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When Water Flows Freely

People's lives are transformed. Communities are transformed. Colette’s visit to Kandale this past spring was a tour de force. Upon her arrival, the engineers began drilling for water and found it at a depth of 120 m. The celebrations lasted days.   The return of the soccer matches was a huge success for the whole region.  Now school is back in session…and, yes, the caterpillars have returned in great number.

In a previous Communiqué, it was indicated that renting a pump and generator were only a temporary solution for providing water to the community. The intention being that a new campaign would raise funds for a permanent solution.  The designated date to discontinue the pump was September 11th. Unfortunately the pump broke down several weeks ago. The pump has been running for 4 months straight and was not designed for this type of work. NOK Construction Team sent a new pump from Kinshasa to replace the defective one. However, the present generator was not designed for the parameters of the new pump so a new generator is now being sought.

The three cisterns had been filled twice a day and the local people and people from surrounding communities have been depending on it. For a modest fee one could fill up several bidons, (plastic jugs), of water. Teachers from local villages would arrive to teach in the morning and in the evening they would head home with several filled plastic bidons. In many ways access to a constant water supply has completely changed the dynamics of the community. 

Now that the pump has been discontinued and the community awaits a more permanent solution, many basic activities have been suspended to accommodate this disruption. The lush gardens that have been providing fresh vegetables for the community have been reduced. The children are once again descending the treacherous valley to retrieve water every morning before school and every afternoon before they begin work on their homework. People are taking fewer baths.  The hospital has had to reorganize the care they provide. There is less time in the day to share gossip with a friend or gather with one’s family.

It affects all aspects of life. Small businesses have been having a hard time and even the palm oil makers, ( featured below left and center), are frustrated, as their process requires a lot of water to refine the oil. Mama Patience Ajita, (featured above left), is president of the women's group in Kandale. She had a small business and bought vegetables from the REVE garden and prepared them with fufu to sell. The lack of water has forced her suspend her business. Fortunately the rainy season has begun and the cisterns are collecting the inconsistent rainfall on the roof of the Multi-Purpose Education Center. This water is insufficient for the community’s needs, but it will ameliorate the immediate difficulties.

For Colette this recent visit culminated in great discomfort to her lower back, brought on to a great extent by the roads in and out of Kandale. The persistent pain required medical intervention and she has been in recovery for the last several months. This new Communiqué is evidence that she is well on her way to a full recovery. 

Several weeks ago the battery for the solar panels reached the end of its functionality. The battery provides electricity for the lights in the Multi-Purpose Education Center and powers the two office laptops and phones.  Dr. Karl Klontz and Dr. Clint Kelly paid a technician to purchase 4 new batteries in Kikwit and transport them to Kandale on a motorcycle 220 km to replace the old ones. 

On a final note we wish to welcome Prefet of Institut Gufwa Gubila, Gajama Lundeya. He is a graduate of Gufwa Gubila Institut and continued with his studies at University in Kikwit. He has been a Prefet for over 10 years. We wish him great success!

Here is a compelling video, prepared by
John Sullivan of The REVE Kandale Foundation Board, entitled
A GLASS HALF FULL

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Au Retour

The car arrived on Saturday to take Colette back to Kinshasa and finally home. It was difficult to leave after so much incredible progress.

The match ended with two Kiboba teams, Zemba Kiboba and Kiboba village fiercely competing for the win. Traditionally these two towns do not communicate with each other, but the positive atmosphere of the games brought them together in celebration.

Zemba Kiboba was the winner with Kiboba Village in second place and Musemvu on the other side of the Kwilu River, in third. As Colette describes it, 'It was a beautiful tournament.' The match was sponsored by Dwight Short in recognition of his aunt, Lodema Short or Mama Kanemu, who was a missionary near Kandale. Two former students of Mama Kanemu, Reverend Ernest Mputu Kimbonja and a teacher at Institute Gufwa Gubila called Leyogi Supa, presented the trophies and medals to the winning teams. For the final match the teams put on special jerseys provided by Kick for Nick, 'lemon' and 'aqua'.

On Saturday, Merveille organized a staff meeting and invited the referees in celebration. There was much to discuss in between the delicious food and beverages provided. One of the big accomplishments was the creation of a Committee for the Tournament and Youth Development.

A picture is worth a thousand words

The new program, Ami Du Livre, continues to draw in young people and their curiosity. One of the recent developments from coloring in the images and researching the subject, was the investigation of rainbows and their origin. One of the adults present, was taught that rainbows were very rare and magical snakes. What new stories will be discovered as this program continues?

Colette is always practical and never one to waste an opportunity. She took advantage of the vehicle's early arrival to collect cow dung and fertilize the garden, sponsored by Clint and Carl, before she left. The garden is growing beautifully.

Colette is spending the night in Kikwit and will leave for Kinshasa in the morning. We wish her a safe journey home.

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Lessons Learned

This Bird's Eye View of the School grounds has been captured by REVE Kandale's intrepid photographer, Newton, who risked life and limb to climb the nearby palm tree to capture the new classrooms and enthusiastic students.

Yes, the football match continues on at a feverish pace, but the learning also continues enthusiastically at the Mutli-Purpose Center with the program known at Ami du Livre. One of the teachers, Mr. Ajita, is leading the program and has invited 24 girls and 24 boys from the primary school through 10th grade to participate. During one of the recent events, students chose an image to color which lead to a verbal presentation of their subject and then an opportunity to research the subject for a more in-depth understanding of the topic. Students were asked to create stories based on their research. It is a very popular activity with the young people.

Presently there is a break in the action on the football field. The first round has been completed and of the 18 teams that started, there are 8 teams left. Three sectors are represented, one team from Gungu, two teams from Kobo and five teams from Kandale of which one is from the other side of the Kwilu River. All of the teams are incredibly skilled and it is impossible to determine who will make it to the quarter finals.

"Butterflies are everywhere. Local people are excited because this type of butterfly is bringing back the long lost caterpillars called Mambimbi." In the early morning Colette hears the sounds of many birds. The townsfolk say the bird calls are from lost birds that are finding their way home. It is millet season and the grinders have been working non-stop.

The borehole continues to provide water for the time being, but it will be turned off in the near future as the infrastructure for the well has not yet been procured.

REVE Kandale seeks your help to raise funds for a permanent pump, solar panels, and a distribution network. As always we are grateful for your support in the ongoing work in Kandale. There is a tremendous amount to be thankful for. We wish to extend our thanks to Newton for all his help in taking the photos included the last several Communiqués. Colette returns to the US in a week and we wish her a safe journey home. Kwenda mbote, Mama!!!

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The Games Continue

The Games have been in full swing with 18 teams fiercely competing. The community is once again fully engaged in the passion of football. It has been two years since the last competition when everything went on hold due to COVID. Many elements have brought the return of the games. Obviously it was the excitement of the community to see the games return, but it was also a result of the ABCD meetings that ignited the idea of bringing opportunities to Kandale.

Everything is interconnected. Now that the well has been dug and the water is readily available, the thousands of people who are visiting the mission can quench their thirst, whether for the tournament, for the school and new classrooms, for medical care, or for other business opportunities like the internet connection at the REVE Kandale office. The two grinders are now fully installed and the people of the village have been grinding flour to prepare dishes for the hungry crowds. The local team has been trained in operating the grinders and also to perform routine repairs on the mechanics controlling the solar panels.

Other activities continue in Kandale such as the regular meetings of "Ami du Livre". This will be showcased in the next Communiqué. It is a busy time in Kandale, filled with many positive changes. Thank you for your support in making all these programs successful.

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Let The Games Begin

Communication continues in the form of photos.

 Colette has shared that, last Sunday there was a great celebration at church about the water. They also announced that starting this past Monday, there would be a charge for the water: FC200 per bidon (that's 5 cents). Colette reports there's been no slow down in people coming for water. 

Also the grinder is in constant use and the back up is ready to go.  They need one more junction box to enable both grinders to function simultaneously. Training on grinder maintenance is complete, and solar training is almost complete.  

The ABCD training has ended, which will dramatically reduce the level of activity and number of people around.

The tournament begins today, May 21st. We wish all the teams success!

We will continue to update you as we receive more information from Colette.

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WOMEN LED
EST. 2011

EST. 2010

Get Involved

Congo faces many challenges, but the community of Kandale has come together to chart a course for a better future. The community has the will, the energy, the desire, and the passion to achieve results. The lives of their children depend on it. There are many ways you can stay informed and help children in Kandale receive a quality education.
. Join our newsletter list 
. Invite us to speak to your group
. ​Sponsor a teacher training in Kandale
. Sponsor a girls’ soccer tournament in Kandale
. Plant a tree in memory of your loved one
. Host a fundraiser dinner
. Join our board of directors

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