Balou: support 200 kids with disability in Congo

UNICEF reports that since January, 203,179 cases of measles have been reported in Congo and 4,096 have died. 

Children under the age of five represent 74 % of infections and nearly 90 % of deaths.

The number of measles cases in Congo this year is more than triple the number recorded for all of 2018. This is the world’s largest measles outbreak.

The measles outbreak has become far deadlier than Ebola, which to date, has taken 2,143 lives.

As you can imagine, those people with physical and mental disability are even more vulnerable to measles and other infectious diseases. In part because of a marked physical weakness, in part because of their social isolation (since disability is mainly perceived as a fatality for the family and the community, disabled children are often abandoned).

The good news is that our 200 children and young people assisted in Balou have not encountered any health infectious disease like measles, yet.

However, the situation outside the centre is very critical and we are scared an outbreak may start at any moment. 

Hence, your support for the Balou Center is now more important than ever!

You can understand how fundamental it is to have a structure which is autonomous in terms of energy supply. Energy and lights are needed to keep the center as a safe place, and your donations can really make a difference in such a difficult period.

So, thank you, thank you from the bottom of our heart, you are giving light and hope to the people of Balou! 

Links:

• https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/energy-for-balou/

Making a journey of solidarity means sleeping in the facilities of local partners, visiting children supported at a distance, laughing and playing with them, attending a lesson at school, seeing all the projects live, bringing practical help to all the people meet in the path. Those who decide to accompany our country managers in the monitoring journey do so in order to live an experience that will lead to a return and that leaves something unique to the known peoples.
The meaning of these trips is very clear to Franca, Gianni and Mario, who for several years have accompanied our manager Francesco to the Congo, and was also appreciated by Claudio who, on his first experience in this country, was able to get closer on tiptoe and with the utmost respect for a different and at the same time fascinating culture. After some hesitations starting due to the Ebola risk, but also limited according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs only in the north Kiwu and therefore not dangerous for our travelers, but which however alarmed one of the companions to the point of making them give up the trip itself, on June 23 the group Congo has left for this new adventure!

Here are the words of Francesco:

"During our stay, we also visited the tireless M.me Maguy who, with great enthusiasm, continues the Balou Center for the Disabled. Here the number of guests is constantly growing: to date 225, not only children / teenagers with disabilities, but children with malnutrition problems. As last year the emergency of the center remains the photovoltaic plant that, with more modules, would guarantee constant energy in all the different structures, thus facilitating the assistance provided above all from the internal hospital. While waiting to find the necessary financing for the solar panels, a new generator has been sent with the replacement of the current one in very bad conditions.
And after three intense weeks, we have therefore reached the end of this journey; despite the unexpected and some difficulties, even this year the emotions experienced never cease to amaze me. I look forward to the project in progress with great confidence and I return once more enriched by my departure ”.