Short Summary

CED (Compassion for Children in Distress) in Butembo, North Kivu  province, DRC is led by an amazing woman.  Dorcas, unable to bear children, felt drawn to take in orphans. These children may have become orphans when their parents died in the ongoing conflict or from AIDS.  Children are abandoned if they are born after rape or if they have been raped themselves.  After establishing an orphanage for 30 - 40 children, Dorcas went on to help create a school for orphans that typically has between 300 to 500 students, depending on the ability to pay teachers at the time.

This area of war racked eastern Congo is virtually unserved by NGO's due to the difficulty and risk of access.  This project is designed to enable the school to provide for themselves while giving students essential skills training.  After discussions with Dorcas to determine the most suitable project, Dorcas asked for support through this sewing project that will help provide a steady and reliable source of income.

Dorcas diligently works to find foster families in the area to take in orphans but these families cannot also fund their education. Their great need is a steady flow of funds that will enable them to pay for teachers and school supplies. 

The project will acquire equipment and space to enable sewing production and training at the school.  Older students will be provided essential skills training while donating their labour to produce finished clothing goods for resale.  Finished product will be sold in the thriving Butembo marketplace with proceeds going back to the school.  It will help provide them a means of providing for themselves.

Dorcas has provided a detailed plan describing the project, available on request.  She drafted the plan with the help of an engaged committee.

There is no shortage of need in Congo!  While the first $3,000 raised will go towards the sewing project, additional funds will be used in support of the orphans.

Butembo is the first major city north of Goma in eastern Congo.  Here is a Google Map:

https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=Butembo,+North-Kivu,+Democratic+Republic+of+the+Congo&hl=en&ll=0.032959,31.069336&spn=6.917181,11.931152&sll=49.303974,-84.738437&sspn=18.07963,47.724609&oq=butembo&hnear=Butembo,+North-Kivu,+Democratic+Republic+of+the+Congo&t=m&z=7

Michael and Brenda Ben have twice visited the orphanage and the school and are acting as the facilitators to transfer funds to Dorcas.  They are both CPA's in Waterloo, Ontario.  They have a well established reliable method of wiring funds to Dorcas via Western Union.

Please donate $10 or what is possible for you.  Unfortunately, we cannot issue charitable tax receipts.  Indiegogo can accept any currency.

Here are some relevant blog posts at their blog, Bens In Congo.  Feel free to "Follow" the Bens In Congo blog which will result in an updated blog post being automatically e-mailed to you.

http://bensincongo.wordpress.com/2013/09/29/compassion-pour-les-enfant-en-detresse-ced/
Compassion for Children in Distress

http://bensincongo.wordpress.com/2011/12/02/mama-dorcas-orphanage/
Visit to the Orphanage

http://bensincongo.wordpress.com/2011/12/02/cscodi-school-for-orphans/
Visit to the School for Orphans

All funds received will be transferred to Dorcas.  All excess funds received will also be forwarded for use by CED for other needs.