Progress report - Kimbilio Vocational College
- kimbilious
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Within sight of one of Lubumbashi’s largest mines, in an area marked by limited access to basic services like running water, the construction of a new educational college is taking shape to transform the lives of young adults for generations to come.
Kimbilio Vocational College plans to welcome its first cohort of students in 2027. These students will have the chance to learn skills which they and their local community in Luowoshi need, which - once fully up and running - will range from information technology to sewing and tailoring, hairdressing, English language, carpentry and mechanics.
Back in September, we shared the exciting news about ground-breaking on the college. Progress has been immense since then! Construction is well underway, with foundations and walls now complete. The vocational college is adjacent to the Kimbilio Mapendo School, and purposefully resembles it. We are grateful to our volunteer, Jim Smith, who designed both of these superb buildings.
The Kimbilio Vocational College will be more than a building. It is an investment in young people who experience daily hardship, including former street children supported and cared for by Kimbilio. Most of these young adults could never have imagined they would have the opportunity of such an education and great possibilities for their futures. This college is a commitment to transformation, dignity, self-reliance, and hope. With its launch, we will help young people achieve greater independence, employment, and self-employment. All of this will contribute to local development in Kimbilio's impoverished community.
Every project brings firsts. The Kimbilio Vocational College building is similar to the Kimibilio Mapendo School building, so this is not a new style of building for the construction team. But how about this for a first -- building couldn't start until the team got 2 containers out of the way, one 40 foot and the other 20 foot. Hiring a mobile crane to do the work was a first! Those containers will eventually prove useful as secure space for storing college materials and tools. More immediately, we are grateful that they are out of the way!
Much work remains to be done, and more funds are needed. Next construction steps are to put on the roof, install electrics, plaster and paint, install windows and doors, build toilets, showers, put down concrete and tile floors, build a security wall and landscape. Congo Children Trust seeks additional funding to help complete the building and equip classrooms and workshops. Tools, machinery, furniture, IT equipment, and power infrastructure are all essential to turn this structure into a fully functioning college. Every contribution brings us one step closer to opening the doors.
Our aim is to welcome the first students in October 2027, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the Luowoshi community – with the plan to grow capacity year by year, with the goal of reaching full enrolment by 2030. We extend our thanks, once again, to the TK Foundation for the funding that has gotten us to where we are today.
If you'd like to learn more about supporting the upcoming phases of this critical Kimbilio initiative, please reach out to Ian Harvey at ian@congochildrentrust.org.
Comments