Since gaining independence from Belgium in 1960, the Democratic Republic of Congo has been blighted by civil war and corruption.  A military coup in 1965 brought General Mobuto to national leadership and he was supported by the West during the Cold War.  His 32 year dictatorship amassed huge personal wealth while the country’s Infrastructure and economy crumbled.  This was changed by his successor to the Congo in 1997.  Dissatisfaction amongst the population meant that the country was ready when Laurent Kabila led a rebel alliance that overthrew Mobutu in 1997.  However, a devastating war began in 1998 when Rwanda and Uganda invaded, sponsoring many rebel groups.  In January 2001, Zimbabwe and Angola joined the war, Kabila was assassinated, and his son, Joseph succeeded him.   The DR Congo has vast mineral resources and agricultural potential, but has been exploited by other countries, greedy to get their hands on its natural riches.  Fighting fuelled by greed, continued until December 2005, when the Congo edged towards the restoration of civil society.  Peace is still not a reality in Eastern Congo. During the troubled years, houses were burned, young boys abducted and very young girls were raped.  There was no safety in this area.  The Church Missionary Society has worked continually to bring peace and reconciliation to the Congo in this last century, working with street children, bringing medical care and establishing schools and training teachers.  Our Representative in DR Congo is a Provincial Youth worker with CMS.  Her particular role is to write manuals for the schools and youth organisations, and this gives her the opportunity, through her writing to bring hope and encouragement to these broken young people.  World in Need partners with Judy to sponsor children who are victims of abuse and rape.  This brings financial stability never known in some of their young lives.

BirangeMpangambishi WIN/CON/CH/004   Prolonged war, looting and abuse have caused many people to flee this area.  As a result, there is not enough food, housing or jobs and poverty is on the increase.  Birange is an intelligent boy and if he can be sponsored he would be able to continue his education and see a way of helping his family out of this hopeless situation.	Mukunda Kisumba WIN/CON/CH/009 13 year old Mukunda’s father has been paralyzed for the past four years.  His mother seeks domestic work by going house to house asking.  Makunda’s aunt was paying for his school fees but she died in December 2007 from Aids. When his aunt died, he returned to his parent’s rented home..  They had fled from their area as his mother had been raped twice by the rebels.  Since the Rebels fled into the bush in the interior in 1997, the local people have repeatedly suffered violence and rape.  Many had to flee to the city of Bukavu particularly to save  the women and girls from rape.  They fled with nothing and often have no one to help them when they arrive in town.  They find what shelter they possibly can.   Mukunda is in the lst year of Secondary School, but frequently is chased from school when fees are needed.  Mukunda needs our help.	Shangwe Kimeyi WIN/CON/CH/021   Shangwe was raped by a soldier in a church and was taken to hospital for treatment.  She has been very nervous since this happened to her and sometimes would not go to school because of the trauma and shame.  She needs to resume her schooling but will be in a very young class because she has missed so many lessons. If you could sponsor Shangwe, she would be able to continue her studies and give her hope that her future will be more secure and help her to rebuild her life.
Koko Kabuya WIN/CON/CH/006   Koko lives in a small village and is the seventh child out of eight.  Her parents are very poor so Koko was moved to his Uncle’s house, who is infirmed and lives by begging.  Koko helps with chores and lives with her five female cousins. Koko’s family had to flee from their village where there has been war for ten years with the presence of the rebel army who looted, raped and destroyed everything in sight.  Families had to sleep in the open air at night because the rebels took over their houses.  Koko’s family had to flee through fear of rape, even to their young daughters.  Koko has missed years of school due war and to her family’s poverty.  She is a bright little girl and needs to resume his schooling, though she will be several years behind.  Would you consider sponsoring Koko?	Amina Matiyabo WIN/CON/CH/015   Amina lives with her mother and five siblings.  Her father died and so her mother sells peanuts locally to try and earn a living.  The family had to leave their original home because of the fear of being attacked and raped.  War throughout this area has led to extreme poverty and hardship for many people. Amina is a bright girl but lacks the facility to buy books and uniform that she needs to go to school.  If you could sponsor her it would enable her study regularly and give her a much needed chance to learn.	Furaha Nyamoga Rosette WIN/CON/CH/017   Furaha was born from a rape victim and her mother has remained single ever since.  The have lived all her life with her mother’s household.  They are very poor and cannot support Furaha’s school fees.  Her grandmother spends all her time looking for people to give her clothes so she can sell them.  Her income is meagre and only provides food.  Her real desire is to become a tailor.  She is only in class two at school as money was not there to provide more schooling, which is why she is 19 years old and only in class two.  To be sponsored would enable her to complete enough schooling to go on to learn tailoring. Furaha needs to be supported.  Would you consider sponsoring her so her going to school could be consistent?