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It's all about making a difference

By Denis Kayenge Kinkufi

MELBOURNE - American President John F. Kennedy once declared that "one person can make a difference and every person should try" and a group of Congolese in Australia, concerned at the situation in the country of their birth, have taken up his challenge.

The Democratic Republic of Congo Community Association of Victoria (DRCCAV) represents about 300 Congolese now resident in the state and is the largest such Congolese community association in the nation.

Most of the Congolese living here fled their homeland because of the violence that has racked it since independence from Belgian rule more than 50 years ago and later was named Zaire.  The sprawling African country has a population of nearly 65 million which has endured political instability, rebellion, civil wars, ethnic clashes and simmering tension over the war and genocide in neighbouring Rwanda.

The situation today in the Democratic Republic of Congo remains grim, with frequent reports of extensive looting of substantial natural resources - diamonds, copper, zinc, gold and coltan - and a general collapse of the infrastructure, particularly children’s schooling.

The DRCCAV has embarked on a project named 'CARE4CONGO' to raise funds to help ease problems afflicting their former homeland.

CARE4CONGO is the brainchild of Clyde Salumu, President of the DRCAV for four years, who enlisted the aid of 12 Congolese-Australians to launch his project which aims to the people in their country of origin in the current financial crisis, especially in the education sector.  All Congolese living in Australia can contribute money and work with projects that can change the life of Congolese who live in Congo.

Salumu says "there has never been a project like this before, a project that goes directly to Congo."

At the same time the Congolese-Australian group want to encourage Congolese living throughout the world to take action to help their country of birth and provide financial support for social projects that improve the lives of communities throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo.

CARE4CONGO hopes to create and support Community Learning and Development Centres throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo dedicated to the cause of education, training and the propagation of a 'culture of excellence' in the country.  This will be be possible through funds collected from the Congolese diaspora and other sources and the planned Development Centres will combine the functions of a library, training centre and community-neighbourhood house.

CARE4CONGO aims to collect A$50 000 by December 2010 to build the first library in the East of Congo for primary and secondary school children.

The Executive Committee of CARE4CONGO also hopes to reach out to other Australians and to Australian companies with business interest in the Democratic Republic of Congo to help them achieve their goals.

To contact CARE4CONGO. phone either Clyde Salumu 0437 724 469 or Dr Kalumba 0433 546 277.

Check out the website (www.care4congo.org).