In October of 2018, your gift to the Reve Kandale Foundation allowed us to purchase 40 new sewing machines and tables in the capital of Kinshasa. Four RKF board members and two volunteers, Dr. Karl Klontz and David Whitford, transported the machines and solar panels to the newly built multi-purpose education building. The machines were assembled by Lycee Gina Gisanga teachers and experts from nearby Gungu. The trainers then conducted two days of intensive training on how to use and care for the machines.
This contribution has made a dramatic improvement in the lives of the girls who are participating in this program. The sewing program was started in 1972 with two old sewing machines that were in need of constant repair. The girls would proudly carry their sewing machines on their heads to school everyday, yet very few students ever mastered the technical skills required to pass the national exam due to a lack of hands on experience with the machines as well as a constant shortage of glue, scissors, needles, threads etc.
These photos demonstrate a vibrant classroom filled with the joy of learning. The students are busy making school uniforms, children’s clothes, and dresses for church and special events. The class is so successful that the rosters and dormitories are filled to capacity with young girls who are eager to participate in this growing program. For many of these girls it is not simply the promise of an income, but a way of life that provides independence, self-sufficiency, and the time to make rational life decisions about their future.
As life in Kandale improves, with solar panels on two buildings, two poly tanks for water storage, six new classrooms, 40 sewing machines, one multi-purpose education building, the Reve Kandale Foundation remains committed to improving the lives of the people of Kandale and as the needs of the community grow, it is our plan to rise to those challenges. As always we thank you for your continued support and we look forward to keeping you posted on all the exciting changes.
