by Dr Callum Henderson
Life saving emergency food for teachers from the generosity of Elim churches.
Thanks to several generous donations from Elim Relief Appeal Funds for the emergency feeding, school teachers in North Kivu, D.R.Congo are not starving. We are very aware of the fragility of the situation for these teachers and it is a privilege for Comfort International to partner with Elim Missions to provide food for these courageous men and women.
As previously reported the lockdown in Goma and the surrounding area has been most keenly felt by the most vulnerable. Comfort Congo has identified two particular groups which have been suffering hunger. One of these is the teachers affected by school closures. Schools closed last year and food support was given at that time until they reopened. However, new cases of infection with Covid-19 have led to a second school closure. Once again, the teachers are left without any pay and we have had reports of some teachers (not those supported by Comfort Congo) who have died from starvation.
Comfort Congo schools serve populations of the most vulnerable as their ethos and purpose is to give access to education to the children who have not been able to go to school because they cannot pay school fees. The schools and teachers are therefore already in challenging circumstances due to the context of extreme poverty they operate in. When schools closed there was an immediate problem with food.
The Elim Missions donations has enabled to Comfort Congo team to buy 3 litre cans of oil, 25 Kg sacks of corn flour and salt to distribute to nearly 100 teachers.
Fazili says,
“I have been the headmaster of the Kyezye Primary School since 2012. I love working with the children and I do not wish to be away from them for all of this time. Our schools were created to help abandoned children and those coming from vulnerable families. Many of their parents are unable to meet the education challenges that their children come across when at school. Comfort International has always been there to support us for the progress of this education and they always help us solve the many challenges we meet and cannot overcome. It is for me a privilege to say thank you to Comfort International and the Elim Churches for this comforting support of food relief they have sent us, where many have not even tried to do this. I testify that we really did receive this food relief and other donations through Comfort Congo and that Comfort Congo continued to come to us to build our hope in these hopeless situations. Our prayers are that you will continue to be blessed as you continue to serve the Almighty God who chose you for such great work.”
Jean Baptist says,
“I worked as the headmaster of Kisima Secondary School for four years but now I am working for the Comfort Congo schools’ coordination as a secondary school advisor. When I worked as the headmaster of Kisima secondary school, I was sponsored by Comfort International and I was regularly receiving the sponsorship money through Comfort Congo. Today, school activities have been interrupted for a while because of Covid-19, Children are at their homes waiting for the measures to be taken in order to reopen the school activities. One of the things that I want to let those reading this know is that Comfort International has been doing great for us since our schools opened. Teachers are now passing through a situation extreme hunger in our country because of the lockdown, but Comfort International never stopped coming to our aid in bringing food relief within this Covid-19 period. On behalf of the Comfort Congo schools’ coordination team I thank Comfort International and Elim Missions for all they have been doing for us in this very bad period of Covid-19 that is shaking the entire world. God bless the Elim Churches and Comfort International.”
“On behalf of the Comfort Congo schools’ coordination team I thank Comfort International and Elim Missions for all they have been doing for us.”