Help for Kimpoko: Canadian initiative in DRC

By Major Benoît Tremblay

Kimpoko is a community of about 100 soldiers’ widows and 250 children, of whom many are orphans. The village lies 45 km east of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). A project to support Kimpoko began in 2000, when a group of Jesuits built 60 houses and took over the management of the orphanage. Unfortunately, this source of aid was interrupted in 2004, and the condition of site and the administration of the orphanage deteriorated rapidly.

Late in 2005, a group of nuns arrived to take charge, but they received almost no support from either their religious order or from external agencies. In 2007, the Mission de l’Organisation des Nations unies au Congo (MONUC) established a committee — including a member of MONUC’s Canadian contingent, deployed under Operation CROCODILE — to co-ordinate the launch of a project to support Kimpoko. The committee defined several objectives, including that of finding enough money to build about 30 new homes for the residents of Kimpoko.

The initiative appealed to Colonel Brian G. Bailey, commander of Task Force DRC at the time, who proposed to finance the project from his Commander’s Contingency Fund. Approval soon came from Lieutenant-General Michel Gauthier, then commander of Canadian Expeditionary Force Command (CEFCOM), and construction work in the village began quickly. Their first objective was to build 40 houses for the village. Col Bailey’s team made a second request for funding in summer 2009, just before the end of their tour.

After assuming command of Task Force DRC in July 2009, Col Stephen Tremblay visited Kimpoko to assess the site and see how the work was going. At time of writing, there were 25 new houses in the village.

The second request for funding has now been approved by LGen Marc Lessard, the new commander of CEFCOM. Following a meeting the task force members had with Sister Ghyslaine, the community leader, it was clear to everyone that the second tranche of CEFCOM funding could make a difference. It will be used to complete the construction of 40 houses and to refurbish 60 older houses in the village.

The eight members of Task Force DRC who are based in Kinshasa are convinced that this aid will greatly improve the life of the residents of Kimpoko. Because they are solidly built of high-quality materials, the Canadian houses raise the standard of living for these people who have so little.

Along with this support, the task force members have approached MONUC with a request for “quick-impact” projects to ensure the repair of an old well and the construction of a second one.

On their regular visits to Kimpoko, the task force members are warmly greeted by the residents. These people show us their gratitude at every visit, giving us opportunities to share local dances, singing and much happiness.

The people of Kimpoko make do with the minimum. They draw water from a nearby stream, grow basic fruits and vegetables in their gardens, keep a few chickens for eggs — and that’s it.

The economic situation of the village residents is difficult. The soldiers’ widows receive a pension of about US$12 per month, although they have to go to Kinshasa and collect it in person because there is an administrative rule against having it picked up by someone else. Transport to Kinshasa costs US$5, so the arithmetic is simple: they get US$7 per month to live on. As well as subsistence gardening, the women of the village sell gravel they produce by breaking stones by hand. That’s very hard labour to earn such a pittance.

Despite these precarious conditions, the people of Kimpoko are cheerful and full of energy. Every time we visit, they say “Thank you” to Canada.