Our Projects in D.R. Congo
Since 2009, our day center for street children has been housed in an Anglican Church building. Given Anglican Church plans for redevelopment of the site, Kimbilio needs its own building. In preparation for this, in 2022 we purchased a plot of land adjacent to the existing day center and have developed plans to build our own center.
Every day, young children are being exploited to work in the artisanal mines in DR Congo. The hours are long and they are often threatened with violence. Operating in Haut-Katanga Province, close to these mines, Kimbilio is able to offer support to some of these young children; transforming their lives from exploitation to a hope-filled future.
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There are thought to be thousands of street children in Lubumbashi alone, and since 2009 Kimbilio has been helping to end child labor and reunite these children with their families. We take the time to get to know each child on a personal level, before locating their family and helping them to rebuild their relationship.
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Our primary school provides a high standard of education to children who would not otherwise have an opportunity to attend school. We currently have 170 students, but have the physical capacity to add 170 more with additional funding.
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Kimbilio runs a hairdressing training salon for teenage mums who have been living with their babies on the streets of Lubumbashi. Kimbilio provides accommodation and a five month course in hairdressing and beauty.
Since 2016, Kimbilio has operated two sewing trade schools that have enabled women to earn additional income for their families. While many women know how to sew manually in our community, few know how to machine sew or have business skills to make a living at sewing.
We are now supporting a growing number of young people that we first met & supported when they were children living on the streets, to go on to vocational training & University. Some of these young people stayed in Kimbilio homes & others we helped to return to their families.
Street girls in Congo are vulnerable to sexual exploitation, violence and addiction, and are often invisible on the streets. The Kimbilio project offers on the street support to approximately 35 girls a week and provides a loving home for up to 24 street girls.
