All Blessings partnered with this Congolese orphanage/NGO (non-government organization) in August of this year after the NGO founders approached us. The NGO is registered nationally and has orphan aid programs in multiple cities around the country. They primarily provide food and education to orphans or street kids. In January of this year they decided to open this orphanage based on a strong need in the area for an orphanage. Between January and April of this year 58 children came into care - too many children for them to support. The NGO founders happened to know one of our translators who told them we are both an adoption agency and humanitarian aid organization. They asked if we could help them with medicine and food and possibly place a few truly orphaned children with families. After a few meetings, doing some background research, and having our attorney meet with them many times to make sure they were a reputable organization, we provided a few items the children needed - shoes, clothes, food, and medicine.
About this time the dysentery outbreak started, killing 33 of the 52 children at the orphanage in about a 2 week period. The NGO founders immediately flew to the orphanage when they got word of what was going on, but many of the children were still malnourished coming from months and years of previous malnutrition and were not able to hold on long. We provided funds to cover the cost of the flights, as much medication that was needed, hospital bills, cleaning supplies, and unfortunately burials. Some of the children received antibiotics in time and responded to them - 18 children remain at the orphanage and one child went to live with extended families members. The NGO founders returned home two weeks ago because they were ill and to get their affairs in order to return to the orphanage for 6 weeks starting Saturday to help implement longer-term solutions.
We have been working for many days to try and assess options for treating the water as well as getting the children healthy so they have more reserve to fight off the inevitable tropical diseases they will be exposed to. Thank you so much to the very large amount of responses we have received offering to help and pass along water treatment options. After going through every email, thinking through logistics, and vetting possible solutions with the NGO founders who understand the feasibility of implementing and enforcing the use of these options, a plan has been developed.
Immediate Solution - This week
- Chlorine treat the water
- Provide new buckets
Short-Term Solution - Next week
- In line 0.1um high flow filters
- 13 gallon storage buckets
- Simple rain water collect reservoir to collect off of the roof
Long-Term Solution Options - not final yet - Next month
- Pay to have a "city water" line ran very near to the orphanage
- Put in a well
- Large holding tank with bio-sand filtration
Chlorine is the quickest option and readily available in Kinshasa to go this week to the orphanage. We will also ship over additional chlorine tablets (ones we can verify quality) to arrive there in about 2 weeks. Since we do not know what they are using to carry water from the city spigot or river, we will provide new buckets that are not porous and able to easily be cleaned.
PLANNED COST FOR IMMEDIATE SOLUTION - $2,000
For the short-term plan, we will provide larger storage buckets for each of the hand-carried buckets with water collected from the spigot that is about 1.5 miles away or the river, which is further, can be dumped into. The larger buckets will have 0.1 micron in-line filters and able to store a larger reserve of water so when the city water is not running, they do not need to go to the river. For 9 months of the year, they receive a lot of rain, so we will also look at simple rain water collection to supplement the hand-carried water stores.
PLANNED COST FOR SHORT-TERM SOLUTION - $3,500
All-in-all, the orphanage needs water closer, so we are evaluating either running a city line closer to the orphanage or putting in a deep well for the longer term options.
PLANNED COST FOR LONG-TERM SOLUTION - ???
In addition to finding clean water solutions, these children need help getting healthy. One of the 3 year olds weighs 12 lbs and it is very apparent the children have intestinal parasites and protein deficiency. Currently 6 children at Elikia are sick and the likelihood is all of them will be before this is said and done. The average hospitalization cost for a child with dysentery for 4 days is $90. They also need good oral rehydration solutions and soluble zinc supplements which are capable of rehydrating people about as effectively as an IV. The children also need vitamins, more food varieties including protein, parasite treatments, safe toys, and clothes.
PLANNED COST FOR HEALTH NEEDS - $5,500
The orphanage also needs some resources to improve hygiene such as cleaning supplies, soaps. hand washing stations, and new toilets.
PLANNED COST OF HYGIENE NEEDS - $1,500
With all of the dysentery, the mattresses were thrown out. The number of beds is not sufficient and too many children are having to sleep too close together which also spreads disease. We want to provide 4 bunk beds and 15 mattresses (the ones covered in vinyl for easy clean up), as well as bedding.
PLANNED COST OF BEDS/MATTRESSES - $2,500
Again, thank you to everyone that has pitched in ideas and offered help.
Also, thank you to a woman with a big heart for this area of the country, who was able to make contact with a local doctor who has gone to visit the orphanage, Elikia, and help the ill children. While the doctor's husband was looking for Elikia, he actually found another orphanage, JLN, that was in worse shape than Elikia. This physician is also helping JLN and taking the children food. JLN has 60 children in a VERY small compound. In the last couple of weeks, 3 of the children at this orphanage have died of dysentery and 6 more are currently very ill. We are also raising support for JLN to help fight dysentery and get the children healthy.
Please join us in helping to prevent more deaths.
Immediate, short-term, health, hygiene, and sleeping solutions are needed immediately and $15,000 to fund these solutions needs to be raised by this Saturday (Nov. 1st) to try and get the items to the orphanages as soon as humanly possible.
All Blessings International, Inc. is a U.S. nonprofit 501(c)3 with a primary office located in Owensboro, KY. ABI is managing donations and providing 100% of all donations to DRC for all direct relief items, shipping expenses, and transfer fees. A Rally site has been set up to take donations:
5% of donations on Rally are deducted by credit card companies and Rally. You can also mail checks to ABI at the following address (this method does not have a fee deducted from the donation):
All Blessings International, Inc.
3808 S Griffith Avenue
Owensboro, KY 42301
Make checks out to: All Blessings International, Inc.
Memo line: Congo Orphan Relief
Please pray for these little lives that are struggling to survive in one of the worst places on Earth. And for the caretakers that are caring for and loving these kids that are sick and traumatized. And for families that were ready to welcome their newest family members home that lost their lives too soon. And also for all those involved to make the best decisions to help these children.
Some of the little lives worth fighting for:
“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:40
Please keep posting updates! We are continually sharing! God bless in in this work of love. Praying for you all!
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