Reunite Children with their Families in Congo

Thank you so much for your financial support for the work of Kimbilio in reuniting street children with their families. It is hear-warming to see a family back together again.

The Kimbilio carers have to establish the reason for the child leaving home and then make contact with their family. Often they may live some distance from Lubumbashi. If the reason for the child's departure is financial, then Kimbilio will consider a grant to the family, or a sack of flour, or payment of school fees. Generally, it will be many months of patient negotiation before the conditions are right for the child's return home.

In the first two months of this year, fourteen boys and five girls were reunited with their families. A great effort by the team of Kimbilio carers in Lubumbashi.

                                      Mother and daughter reunited 

Thank you very much for your generous donations to the Kimbilio Project to reintegrate children living on the streets of the Democratic Republic of Congo with their families. A lot of preparation is necessary in order to bring this about. Kimbilio staff seek out the child's family and address the reason(s) for the child's departure from the family home. Sometimes the family cannot support the child financially, so Kimbilio may give a grant to cover food and/or school fees, uniform and books. 

The joy on the faces of the children and their families when reintegration has been successfully achieved is testament to the work of the Kimbilio team. Each month we reintegrate 4-5 street children with their families.

The first point of contact for street children with Kimbilio is through the Day Centre in Lubumbashi. Kimbilio have been using the Anglican Cathedral premises but now are planning a purpose built Day Centre. Land has just been purchased and in the New Year we will be fundraising to be able to commence building work

Thank you for your financial support for the work of Kimbilio with the children living on the streets in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo. In particular, your donations are helping with the reintegration of children into their families. This is such an important part of our work

In 2022, the team has already reintegrated 12 boys and 5 girls into their families. Many of the families live some distance from Lubumbashi and a number of preparatory visits are needed to address the issues that saw the children leave home and be assured that the families are now able to take the children back. Financial assistance may be given for school uniform and fees and a sack of grain to help with the extra mouth to feed. The above photo shows Junior, who we recently reintegated with his family.

Kimbilio is now fundraising to build a new multipurpose Day Centre in Lubumbashi. The Day Centre is our first point of contact with children living on the streets and we can provide food, clothing, medical care and a safe environment for them. Up to now, we have been using the Anglican Cathedral, but we have identified a plot of land on which to build the new Centre. $30,000 has already been raised towards the purchase of the land and a further $20,000 is needed by Christmas.

Thank you for your financial support for the work of Kimbilio in reuniting children living on the street in the Democratic Republic of Congo with their families. 

Often the child's family may be a day's journey from Lubumbushi and the Kimbilio team may need to make many preparatory visits over several months before the time is right for the child to return. Financial support by way of school fees and uniform may be needed and possibly a sack of grain provided as well. Great care is taken to ensure the welfare of the child.

In 2021, 15 boys and three girls were reintegrated into their families and it is heartwarming to see this happen.

It is so sad to hear of cases where children are forced to live on the streets in the Congo because their family cannot afford to feed them or because them to be witches who have brought bad luck on to the family. The aim of the Congo Children's Trust is to return street children to their families, but this is often a gradual process.In cases of financial hardship, the Trust may assist the family by paying school fees, providing school clothes and bags and giving food to the family.

In 2021, the Trust successfully reintegrated 15 boys and three girls into their wider families. This is the result of much hard work by the team in Lubumbashi, with several visits to the family often required to assess the situation and prepare the way for the reintegration. 

The opening of the new Kimbilio Primary School in October 2021 has enabled street children living in the short and longer-term houses while reintegration is arranged to receive education alongside children from the neighbourhood surrounding the school. Good quality education is so important for the children so that they can acquire skills that will allow them to support themselves and their families when they older.

Thank you for your support for the work of the Congo Children's Trust with these vulnerable children living on the streets of Lubumbashi