LOVE CONGO

Through partner organisations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), we provide practical and financial support in a number of areas to help bring about change to these people lives. The projects we support are based in the North East of the country, where many people have been displaced and are living in extreme poverty. Our work focuses on 3 main areas:

EDUCATION

We support a primary and secondary school in Butembo called ‘Uamusho’. They have over 300 pupils, around 30% of whom are orphans and cannot afford to pay their school fees. The support we provide means that these children can continue with their education, ensures that all the teachers are paid a salary each month and enables the building of safe classrooms.

REHABILITATION

We support NGO’s working with destitute women in and around the North Kivu province. Many of them are widowed due to the violence and many have had to flee their homes due to the constant threat from rebel groups. Our support helps to provide a safe place for them to learn new skills, gain access to micro finance loans and most importantly to find friendship.

HEALTHCARE

In November 2018 we opened the New Hope Health Centre in the town of Kasindi, close to the Ugandan border. The centre specialises in child and maternal health, and is only one of 2 health centres in a 60 mile radius. In the first 3 years of operation, the centre has treated over 10,000 patients.

If you would like to know more about any of our work in the DRC please e-mail lovecongo@imagineiftrust.org.

SAFE FAMILIES

Imagine If applied and received grant funding for a 5-year project to develop a new service to support local families. Our Family Support Manager provides support through practical resources to reduce the effects of poverty, hardship, ill health (physical and mental) or addiction.

Families are referred from other Imagine If projects and from social services where there is often at risk of the children being taken into care. We then provide a service that addresses the needs of vulnerable families, from the simple to the complex and work to relieve the needs of overwhelmed and resource limited parents and their children through the provision of volunteer befrienders and support networks.

Safe Families volunteers provide an appropriate facility to each family through  

1. Resource Support – to provide goods or services that will assist the family in a practical way. 

2. Befriending – mentoring and supporting the family in appositive way.

3. Hosting – to provide short, safe breaks for one or more children or an individual family to support both parents and child.

KIDS MATTER

We partner with Kids Matter to facilitate parenting courses for the local community. We believe that all parents need support but the Kids Matter peer-led and accessible programmes have been written specifically for families facing disadvantages. These evidence-informed parenting programmes equip mums, dads and carers with the confidence, competence and community they need to enable their children to thrive.