Child Action Initiative

Child Action Initiative, Kasungami, Democratic Republic of the Congo:

Child Action is a Non-Government Organization founded in 2006 by Isaiah Njimbu after graduation from Africa University with a sociology degree, when he returned home to Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Child Action has been sanctioned by Southern Katanga Province United Methodist Bishop Katembo Kainda. Isaiah is currently in the process of submitting an application to UM GBGM, New York City, for financial support for this mission in nearby Kasungami, DRC where approximately 20,000 people reside. The original purpose of this organization was to provide primary and secondary education for children whose parents died from HIV/AIDS, who reside in Kasungami and attend Nazareth United Methodist Church. In the summer of 2006 Isaiah contacted us about the dire need for potable drinking water in Kasungami. Nazareth UMC is in a serious state of disrepair and would welcome support from UM Building Teams.

Bev and I (Ed Wentz) visited Lubumbashi and Kasungami, DRC May, 2008, to take an inventory of the existing sources of drinking water in Kasungami. While there we also observed the dire need for medical services and a continual source for food for all residents. We also met with the mayor of Lubumbashi and officials of World Vision whose DRC headquarters are in Lubumbashi to discuss their capabilities to drill wells.

The drinking water aspect of this project is tentatively receiving financial support from the Hershey and West Harrisburg, PA and Lubumbashi, DRC Rotary Clubs. This is being made possible through our friend Richard (Dick) E. Wright who is a retired professional geologist, member of First UM Church, Hershey, PA and a Hershey Rotary Club member. Dick is Chairman of the Rotary's Water Resources Committee which is studying the best approach to solve the need for water in Kasungami and methodology to raise funds to finance the project. January 20, 2008, Mr. Wright contacted me to advise he has made a significant contact with Mr. Kim Lorenz with World Vision, Federal Way, Washington who will ultimately advise their interest in providing matching funds for drilling wells in Kasungami.

The Child Action program has grown from providing education and clothing for the orphaned children of Kasungami to providing drinking water, medical services such as visiting nurses and doctors, facility for expectant mothers, a facility to care for the sick, vaccines and the development of a subsistence farming program in order that the residents can raise nutritional food for their own consumption and selling it to earn an income. We facilitated Isaiah to visit the United Methodist Mujilla Falls Agriculture Centre, Zambia in September, 2008 to learn about the program developed by Rev. Paul Webster resident missionary.