This Summer, Comfort International is splitting its appeal between two urgent and important causes, in two countries where our partners are carrying out life-changing and saving work on a daily basis.
Many of you will have been touched by the stories and images of the recent tragic floods which scarred the northern and western provinces of Rwanda. Over 130 people lost their lives and many more lost their homes, farms, land, possessions and livestock. You can read more of our coverage on the devastating catastrophe here.
We support a number of communities in the affected areas through Good News International and were very grateful and relieved to hear that there were no fatalities of project members due to the floods. However, many loved ones were lost and our hearts are broken for our Rwandan brothers and sisters who are grieving at this time. In addition to this, although escaping with their lives, many of the community members suffered devastating losses, especially in terms of crops and livestock. In a country where life is balanced on such fine margins, losing your farm, food and means of income is a tremendous blow, and a real worry for the future. Crops (and the next season’s food) were washed away in a few minutes and communities are faced with the real danger of months of hunger with no seeds to plant for the next season.
We also received word through our partners at Comfort Rwanda that all of the members of Comfort Babies and the Street Kids Rescue (SKR) projects were safe and sound but Jackson, from Gasanze SKR, who had been staying with his mother in Kibuye, had his home destroyed in the floods. He and his mother have been relocated through the support of the project and are staying in other accommodation but are now in need of a new home.
Many people have already generously donated to the relief effort following the floods. Now begins the long road back, rebuilding that which was taken in such a momentary flash, leaving such destruction. Part of the Summer appeal fund this year will go towards rebuilding homes for those who have lost them, including Jackson’s, and providing support and resources for those communities who have lost so much in this disaster.
The second part of our appeal is following a fantastic opportunity in D. R. Congo to build a wonderful new school in Kambize. This is a very poor area of Congo which suffers from intense violence and was also victim to the eruptions of the Nyirogongo volcano. This means that the whole village sits on piles of volcanic rubble, making building incredibly challenging. The school at Kambize was set up a number of years ago for children who had been receiving catch-up lessons from the team at Comfort Congo. There are now over 600 children attending that school, which is little more than some wooden planks set up as walls, with children squeezed onto benches perched on top of volcanic rubble, but their delight at being able to learn is visible for all to see.
The Congolese government have been forthcoming with funds and have offered to pay 90% of the cost of a modern, new, 6-classroom school for Kambize, if Comfort International can provide 10% of the funds. The school will cost $250,000 (about £210,000). Therefore, we need to raise in the region of £21,000 to build this much needed school for the amazingly brave children of Kambize.
Despite the great challenge that this presents, this is indeed a fantastic opportunity to provide a suitable learning environment for this community. Education is the key to the future, and a proper school opens endless doors for the young people of DRC. In addition to this, there is the bonus that for every £1 that Comfort International raises, the Congolese government will add £9.
Comfort International launches its appeal on Saturday the 10th of June 2023. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our faithful supporters for your generosity, and ask once again that you would share the appeal with your friends, family and colleagues in an aim to provide support, hope and a future for those so desperately in need. Thank you.