As a member of the of King’s Church Southampton I was part of a delegation of 5 members who travelled to Goma in 2017 to familiarise ourselves with the projects of the ASDIG charity run by Claudaline Muckinirwa. I was particularly struck by the amazing talent of the children in Hope School who put on a drama for us.
Latest News Bulletin – Despite Goma has been over run by M23 rebels schools including Hope School which were closed down have now reopened. However, food and water are in short supply and people are being killed or injured in seemingly random fashion. Claudaline who had to close Hope School and flee the country for safety has returned and is campaigning to get the support the government promised.
As a member of King’s Church Southampton we have over the years developed a friendship with the late Bishop Désiré and his wife Claudaline who lives in Goma a city in the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This amazing couple established several projects to help the vulnerable, especially women and children, under the umbrella of their charity originally started in 2007 and called ASDIG but now known as “Action Salutaire pour le Department Integral de Congo” or ASDICo. They run vocational courses having trained hundreds of women in tailoring and provide micro-finance and agricultural projects largely based in Kalehe to provide opportunities for women to be financially independent.
They also started a school, Hope school in the Keshero region of Goma. The school was started when Claudaline asked a little boy sitting on the side of the road what he was going to do when he grew up, he answered – “shoot people and rape women!” I think you will agree this is tragic especially as children are the principal hope for change in Congo. I believe that the children of Hope School having an opportunity for education, knowing what it is to experience success and tasting something of what it means to be loved and valued could be significant catalysts for change.
The school started with 270 children mostly traumatised by war, being either orphans, born out of rape or children from displaced people groups. Now with about 350 the support has led to some of the best results in Goma and one of the best football teams! We took out Saints kits and sent boots kindly donated by Southampton FC. They are probably the only team playing in professional boots, perhaps an unfair advantage?
The School has been massively improved. The latest block to be built is shown below.
