Refugee Charcoal Project in Goma - North Kivu, DRC

Report of the fundraising with GlobalGiving: Starting the very first step towards the protection of refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo, we are proud of you dear donors. The money raised will be invested in Charcoal Project.

Introduction

By deciding to venture into the issues of refugees in the Democratic Republic of Congo, we very well knew it is an ugly situation and extremely challenging, just because it is not known and the little information about refugees in DRC is completely negative and impartial. No body speaks about refugees in DRC, you cannot hear about it either in International Media, in the Conferences, in Summits, not even from any campaign, you will not get from social media, in brief nowhere you will hear about refugees in DRCongo and nobody will tell you about it apart what you can read from us now.

And that alone was also one among our motives to join GlobalGiving so that the news about refugees in DRC may reach to people around the world.

Achievements

Two months already on GlobalGiving we are pleased for the above achievements.

Our project links have reached to more than 6,000 people who we believe managed to get information about refugees in DRCongo, this great news to us, and highly motivating.

We have raised 320$ from three different donors who chose to share their money with refugees in DRC “this is historic it has never happened and good enough it has happen during our lifetime and through our collective efforts”, despite the above described situation. We are so surprised by that choice but also with the huge competition of great projects on GlobalGiving you our donors chose our cause, thank you so much. The mode which you managed to get our links also is a surprise, all of you indicated Google traffic. Now with you we know that we have three more other people who are behind us in this venture to protect refugees in DRC, three more other people who are now added to the 7 other volunteers here in Goma who also sacrifice everyday their own little money in order to work on refugee issues, so for us you are also part of us and this makes the number of our volunteers to 10 people in this venture. Of course you are not around in the field but your contribution makes things move.

Here is what one beneficiary had to say, we will not mention her name as the security situation between DRC and Rwanda is extremely volatile now and it is the reason why also we will not share with you her picture.

“ I ran away from Rwanda in 1994 during the genocide, I still remember that time I was six years old, we were seven children in my family and was the fifth child, we moved on foot, since then I do not know what happened to my siblings and my father because I have never seen them anymore, we got lost from each other from Rwanda I don’t know which direction they took, me I moved with my mother, she then later died in a refugee camp in South Kivu DRC in the same year 1994, so I remained alone. In 1996 Rwandan Army attacked us and destroyed all our camps in the whole eastern DRC, we moved again in different directions, I’m also surprised how I survived and I’m still alive now because so many people were killed by the Rwandan Army, I just don’t know how I’m still among those refugees who survived massacres by Rwandan Army.

However I did not go to school and I cannot even write my name, I have now five children all I got them from rape and sexual abuses, I do not know their fathers, and none among them is studding because I do not have money. Since 1996 up to now we never received humanitarian relief aid and here in order to survive you must access the land, we are refugees we do not own the land.

This Charcoal Project is my only hope as per now, it is my Alpha and Omega, I strongly believe in this project and we are working hard to ensure it moves forward. The good thing of this project it is generating money, so if we have the starting money in terms of capital then money generated will make it continue for a long period of time. From the money we are going to generate from this when we sell our charcoal I’m now planning to buy a small plot of land where I will call my home and settle there with my children, I’m seeing that now possible and will come to be a reality one day.

It is for me a great joy when I was informed by COJESKI/DRC Coordination of North Kivu today that the project has gotten some money from GlobalGiving, my God, I just do not understand how did it happen, how did those people choose us, who told them about us? But I’m still not sure, I will be fully convinced when I see the money with my eyes”.

Generally I wish the money to be used on the following things that is what one refugee indicated:

 To buy things which we use to produce the charcoal, to buy a Tent where to keep the Charcoal and to hire a space where to sell out charcoal from, if those three things can be done, then we shall start from there.

Usage of the money raised

The available funds will be invested in the Refugee Charcoal Project based here in Goma, the Democratic Republic of Congo in the following:

Producing more charcoal: As per now they make charcoal once a week, and produce around 100 pieces per day where they work only for 3 hours in maximum. We shall add 100$ in the production to buy materials they use in order to produce at least 250 pieces in six hours that is generally working half a day, still they will work one day per week,

Taking care of the charcoal: We shall put aside 60$ aside for someone who will be around to ensure that the charcoal is safe and protected from the rain, this money will be used for two months,

Buying also equipment: The best idea was to buy a Plastic Tent but the money will not be enough, so we shall put aside another 100$ to but plastics which we need so much to ensure the charcoal is safe and can easily dry up,

Then 40$ will help us to get water to drink when we are working but also buy water which we shall be using to make the charcoal,

We think the 20$ will be used in all different transactions for the money to reach us.

Expected income

If we produce 250 pieces of charcoal once in a week and they all dry up, that will generate 25,000 CF which is 12$ once the charcoal is sold, so far we can start in that way,

Our intention is to reach to the point where we shall work at least three full days per week in order to produce at least 1000 pieces of charcoal per day, this will give us 100,000 CF which is 50$ once sold.   

Thank you so much and may God bless