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View our photo album of past projects 2009 Return
to Congo 2009 HandUp
Congo director Lucy Hobgood-Brown returned to Congo in November along with Jacky Gendre, an Australian-based community development
expert. Jacky led a self-funded workshop on participatory leadership for HandUp’s Congolese partners in the Equatorial
Province. More than 20 community leaders representing a range of non-government organizations participated in the two-day
workshop, held in a venue overlooking the Congo River.  Jacky Gendre works with one of the leadership training participants. Lucy facilitated the arrangements and traveled with Jacky. While there, Lucy met with FLO leaders
who had traveled 200 km from Lotumbe village in their pink canoe – now a successful floating community store that generates
enough income to sustain its upkeep! The floating community store was made possible in 2008 by Australia Ethical Investment
and Medical Students’ Aid Project. Thanks to Photocentric in Lane Cove, NSW, Australia, Lucy delivered photo albums documenting five years of collaboration between HandUp Congo and FLO to the FLO leadership. Photocentric underwrote the cost of the seven photo albums.  While in Congo, Lucy also provided pro bono public relations support to Université Protestante au Congo’s 50th anniversary celebrations. Co-director Anne Zolnor met Lucy in Congo for the Jubilee, which featured activities ranging from student football matches to colloquiums and an exposition by artists who work closely with HandUp Congo to support UPC.  The artists each painted individual
canvases for UPC’s anniversary week on the theme “Education that builds a nation.” The artists live on less
than $1 a day, but have been enthusiastic HandUp Congo partners on projects that raise awareness of their work as well as
support UPC. The artists have developed Congolese-themed Christmas cards and postage stamps for UPC, as well as a 2010
UPC calendar that features their striking paintings. Profits from the calendar's and cards' sales will be split with the artists' collective and the UPC scholarship fund. Earlier in 2009 in Sydney, HandUp Congo volunteer and Project Manager Gemma Deavin — with a
host of Macquarie University volunteers enrolled in the Global Leadership Program — organized an exposition of works
by the artists. There are still some paintings available for sale in Sydney, or consider buying UPC’s 2010 Calendar,
which features work by these same, talented artists. Contact Lucy on hobgood-brown @ msn.com.au for details, or have a look at their work online. Sydney Fundraiser In October, Deborah and Gigi Lockhart hosted a Blueberry Tea fundraiser
at their Sydney home in aid of Lotumbe’s school roof. More than A$550 was raised to replace the school’s roof.
Hooray! Rotary International Co-director Betsy Brill, a member of Fisherman's Wharf Rotary Club of San Francisco, attended the
Rotary International Convention in Birmingham, England, and its 1-day Water and Sanitation meeting to learn more about how
to bring clean water and sanitation to Lotumbe. Connections facilitated by HandUp Congo in 2008 have resulted in the establishment
of the first Rotary Club in Equatorial Province, with more than 25 members representing the provincial governor as well as
the president of the 750,000 member Disciples Community in Congo. FLO’s president, Chantal Bofeko, is the club’s
treasurer. Apprenticeship
for Lotumbe resident HandUp Congo paid
to send Mr. Bolobo, of Lotumbe, to Goma, where he apprenticed with Mr. Col Peet, an Australian volunteer helping Heal Africa
install rainwater collection systems.  |
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2008 Congo Canoe Challenge In December 2008 sisters Anne and Lucy returned to Congo where they worked on capacity-building projects at UPC and with their Congolese partners in Lotumbe. They traveled to Lotumbe on the maiden voyage of the pink canoe, accompanied by four other volunteers and lots of goats, chickens and other supplies!
Caritas Australia launches report
on DRC's "Forsaken Voices" HandUp
Congo Networking Success Zulu candles for Congo
Canoe Challenge Scholarships for First Year Medical Students Goodies
from Cargo Pilot International
cargo pilot Bassel Fares donated 32 kilos of medical supplies, French books, educational resources, clothing, shoes and toys
for Lotumbe's residents. Bassel, who grew up in the Congo, arranged for the goods to be hand-carried from the USA to Kinshasa
by fellow American School of Kinshasa alumnus Cindy Dunn. Merci! 2007 Lotumbe Loan Fund Grows Director Trips to Congo Make Connections Widows Fund
New FLO Projects Funded
Other auction proceeds and support from other generous friends
funded additional FLO-sponsored health care projects and education support, including books for the school library and additional
training for teachers. Sanyo Oceania Pty Ltd donated a state-of-the-art digital movie camera, which FLO can use to document its projects and keep its partners in the loop.
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2006 Fondation Lucie Otaenga received official status as a non-governmental organization in Congo. Roma Mehta, a HandUp Congo teammate in Taiwan, designed FLO’s logo based on Congolese artist Jean-Marie Nzuzi Bakulu’s original female icon.  General
Store Opened! A hugely successful general store allows the local population to buy necessities that would otherwise entail a week of paddling in each direction to the nearest large town. Sewing School Expanded! A US Embassy grant we wrote in April 2006 has resulted in the rehabilitation of a larger space for the sewing school -- and has purchased more machines and supplies. Aid for Africa Down Under in Australia transported donated sewing supplies and medical goods for Lotumbe; these arrived in late 2006. Media Awareness & Fundraising Successes Fall 2006 saw lots of media attention for HandUp Congo's partnership with FLO thanks to San Francisco's KGO-TV and the amazing Fran Zone and her Holiday World of Good Auction benefiting FLO. Designer Roma Mehta in Taiwan creates the HandUp Congo logo.  First outreach... a hand up, not a hand out... In 2005 and 2006, HandUp Congo
delivered eyeglasses, pharmaceutical and medical supplies to the deteriorated local hospital — and two manual sewing machines, fabrics, and sewing supplies.  |
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