For years, LaOlam has helped care for the needs of the children at the local home for orphans. We do what we can to ensure that every child of school age has an opportunity to attend school. We currently cover the cost of feeding and clothing the orphans.
Funding is needed for:

SCHOOL TUITION SPONSORSHIPS – The yearly cost of attending the primary and secondary school is $220. This figure includes uniforms, books, and supplies.

GENERAL CARE – Food, clothing, medical, bedding, household items, salaries for caregivers, etc.

The Next Step Program (NSP) will move the older boys living at the home for orphans into a living environment where they can be further discipled, mentored, and trained toward independence. These young men will be encouraged to continue their education toward graduation or given the opportunity to enroll in the local university’s newly sanctioned Job Skills Training Program (JSTP). Moving onto to higher education after high school will also be an option; we hope to have scholarships in place to send these young men to our local university, Eben-Ezer University of Minembwe (UEMI), or if necessary to another regional university. The NSP will be managed by LaOlam Africa, and will have a local, mature man overseeing the program.
Funding is needed for:

GENERAL CARE OF THE BOYS – Food, clothing, household items, salary for program overseer, etc.

EDUCATION OF THE BOYS – The yearly cost of attending the high school is approximately $220. The yearly cost of attending the local university is $250. The yearly cost of sending someone to a university outside of Minembwe is approximately $1,200 including room, board, books, travel, etc.

This project, which impacts thousands of people, has been in place since 2019. Originally, we worked with the local university to set up vegetable seedling nurseries in various locations to serve the needs of the refugees, but now the food needs of the local population has become grave due to the impact of our large refugee population. The seedlings are given to those in need to take home to plant in their gardens to help sustain their family.
Funding is needed for:

SEEDS, LABOR, & MANURE - $1,500 per month is needed each month for seeds, labor, and manure.

Locally, the water from our is polluted. We have some springs, but they are few and access to the springs is difficult for many within the community. Boiling the water is a problem because firewood is scarce. We are focusing on providing wells and water filters.
Funding is needed for:

WELL DRILLING EQUIPMENT - We are in the initial phase of raising funds for the needed equipment.

WATER FILTRATION SYSTEMS – Each filtration system needs two buckets which cost $5 each. 100 Sawyer water filters have already been donated. We will set up each filtration system in these homes and provide the training needed to successfully operate the system. Once we distribute the remainder of these filtration systems, we will acquire more filters.

The cost of disposable feminine hygiene products in Minembwe is so high that a single product is used for several days at a time. We’re currently acquiring the patterns and materials so we can have washable/reusable menstrual pads that will be made locally.
Funding is needed for:

CLOTH/MATERIALS – If the cost of the material is donated, then the pads can be sold to the community at an affordable price that will still provide a moderate wage for the seamstress.

Recently, a 7-year-old boy named Niyimpa was savagely attacked by a rabid dog. There was no treatment available to Niyimpa in Minembwe, so after being stabilized, he was flown to the city of Bukavu for treatment. There were no vaccines available in Bukavu, so a relative from the neighboring country of Rwanda bought the vaccine and brought it to Bukavu, but the onset of rabies had begun and Niyimpa suffered horribly until he died days later. Our goal is to stock the emergency five-shot rabies treatment at the newly opened UEMI Hospital, as well as vaccinate to 100 dogs each year. We will also begin a rabies community awareness and education program via public radio and the local schools.
Funding is needed for:

EMERGENCY FIVE-SHOT RABIES TREATMENT – Each five-shot treatment cost $100. We’d like to always have several on hand.

ANIMAL VACCINE TO PREVENT RABIES & COMMUNITY AWARENESS PROGRAM – Each animal vaccination cost $7. We also will need to buy radio airtime for the rabies community awareness and education program.