As a part of our Radical Advent Christmas campaign, we want to highlight Kisunka, a cluster of villages in the Democratic Republic of the Congo so remote that few non-profit organizations can reach it to provide support. Kisunka lacks access to clean drinking water, education, health care, and sustainable work. These circumstances contribute to an overall sense of hopelessness among the approximately 5,000 villagers, many of whom are struggling to survive.
Diseases like tuberculosis and leprosy are common in Kisunka. There is no clinic, so the sick must travel 9 miles to the nearest health center. To supplement meager crops from farming, some impoverished villagers try to earn extra income by fishing in Changalele, a lakenearby Kisunka. However, the good fishing at Changalelemeans that large numbers of seasonal workers travel to the area for fishing and other trade. As is common in other areas of sub-Saharan Africa, this has led to the sexual exploitation of those who are most desperate for survival, such as orphaned young girls, contributing to the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Hands at Work is supporting local Christian leaders in Kisunkato develop a locally-owned organization in their community to meet the needs of orphaned and vulnerable children. Before they started, Kisunkahad not had a school for the past twenty years, so very few of the children had any education. The cost of education and the 9 mile walk to get to the nearest school were huge hurdles, especially for orphaned children. In partnership with Hands at Work since 2011,KisunkaCommunity Based Organization has provided food security, basic health care, and access to education to 75 orphaned and vulnerable children—children who deserve love and care and hope. Make this a Radical Advent by supporting Hands at Work in serving remote and impoverished communities like Kisunka. Please consider making a donation to our Christmas campaign here.