Cinderellas of Bukavu

In Bukavu, the little Cinderellas are not the only ones that each morning set off to school from Ek’Abana and participate in the activities of the center: 50 mai-mihogo children also receive daily support. These are children and teenagers that Sr. Natalina used to see passing by, descending every day from the hills towards Lake Kivu, carrying a 5-liter plastic jug with drinking water. These boys and girls are known as mai-mihogo because in the market, next to the merchants' pagodas, they offer a glass of water in exchange for a manioc, which is called “mihogo” in Swahili.

Mai-mihogo children come from contexts of extreme poverty, and carrying out this activity to obtain a small source of livelihood makes it impossible for them to go to school. In Ek’Abana the smaller children are given support to guarantee their access to education: their scholastic fees are payed and they are accompanied to school together with the girls from the center.

 As for the older kids, they are supported in initiating income-generating activities. The children are given hens or guinea pigs, they receive training and support to breed them and are followed up by a veterinarian. The assignment of an animal, besides guaranteeing subsistence and the possibility of having economic income, generates a virtuous circle of responsibility for the child. All of these kids are also involved in the activities of the center, which has a very positive effect on their physical and emotional well-being.

 In COOPI we want to keep the doors of Ek'Abana always open for all the children in need. We are now in the middle of the road, and we would like to invite you to continue donating to this project, so that we can accompany all of these children on their way towards achieving their dreams. Thanks for your support!

The new year has started in Ek’abana center in Bukavu with joy and enthusiasm. Sister Natalina and all the staff are hoping to continue offering full support to these children in need.

The day to day at Ek’abana is very intense: study, house work, games… It is at the end of the day, while doing recap, when the fruits of the whole work done are reaped. The girls talk about their experiences and share their feelings and thoughts. At this fundamental point we get to see how little by little they are leaving behind the traumas they have after being accused of witchcraft and rejected by their families. This progress takes place thanks to the individual monitoring and to some specific recreational activities and, of course, thanks to our donors’ precious support.

Besides, some new cases of family reintegration will take place soon.To this end we are working with the girls and their families in order to accompany a process which guarantees the girls’ rights and allows them to recover their family life. The girls regain faith in themselves and become ready to forgive and come together with their  families, and so do their relatives. This moments of reconciliation give us great joy. Even so, Ek’abana’s doors will always remain open for them.

We would like to thank once again all of our donors and encourage you to go on supporting this project, so that these girls show the world that they can achieve great things.