Educate Medical Professionals in DR Congo

Please read to the end of this report for a special appeal.

With our last several reports focusing on girls and women, we want to remind you that boys are very much a part of our primary and secondary school programs. We recently learned the story of one of our 6^th-grade boys, Dieumerci. Sixth-grade students must pass the TENAFEP exam to earn their primary school diplomas and be eligible to attend secondary school. Here is what Dieumerci told us about his life (translated):

"I was born into a family of 9 children. I am the 7th. One of my older brothers is already married and my 3 sisters are also married. My other 2 sisters left with my married sisters. Our father abandoned us. When I finished second grade, we learned that he married another woman. Third grade was the first year I became a beneficiary of the [Rwenena Kids] program. Next year I will attend the Vijana Institute in Luberizi for secondary school. I know this because I scored the first in my class. I am sure I will pass the TENAFEP exam to complete primary school."

But even with high scores and brimming self-confidence, no student is guaranteed continuing sponsorship. In the next academic year starting in September, we expect to significantly decrease our level of support. Thanks to our own successful literacy program and life skills training offered by other organizations, it is our hope that more parents will pay education costs themselves. We are enormously proud of the community’s growth and positive changes since our program began. But there will remain families that need our support.

Even more than Giving Tuesday and GlobalGiving campaign days, it is critical to increase our funding now. Summer is the time to notify the school and parents how many kids we can sponsor in the coming academic year. Please donate generously and encourage your friends and family to do the same. For April's “Little by Little” campaign, we were pleased to surpass our goal of raising $500. Now we need even more. It costs about $100 to sponsor a child or teen for one academic year. For the sake of Dieumerci and his fellow students, we hope you will accept our challenge to donate $50, $100, or whatever you can afford. Recurring donations, house parties, and holding your own virtual fundraiser (see green box on the right side of this page) are also options. On behalf of our SAFECO team and the Rwenena community, we thank you in advance for your consideration and support.

P.S. In our next report, we will reveal the story of the "Giggler Mom" profiled in our April report.