MHCD is focusing on education and health care because we see that the only way we will reduce poverty in Uvira territory and to give these vulnerable people a good future, is through education. In Africa we say and know that education is the key for development and we also say that educating women is educating the nation. This is why we are focusing and putting much energy into training children and young people, so that they will be on the front line in reducing poverty and bringing community development to their villages.
In the department of education, we have nursery, primary and secondary schools where we teach orphans and street children in the various fields such as sewing (tailoring), carpentry, computers, IT, social techniques, car mechanics, general mechanics, electricity and general education. We have nursery, primary and secondary schools in Luvungi, Sange, Lubarika and Kahororo. We have managed to help and train more than 4,000 children and young people since we started this project. Many of them have finished secondary school, they have national diplomas, the others are already working, and the others are at university. We continue with this project to promote education in the territory of Uvira.
We also have a midwifery and a nursing school and university in Luvungi. After carrying out investigations, we saw the need for medical professionals in the villages so, six years ago, we started a midwifery and nursing school and have already had two graduations of students from this school. The midwifery and nursing students who have already graduated – most returned to their villages and opened dispensaries and health centres.
In October 2019 we opened a University called Uvira Community University which is teaching agribusiness amongst other faculties because DRC has very fertile land and 80% of the Congolese in the villages are working in agriculture. However, these farmers often only produce enough food for themselves and this does not reduce their poverty level, as they cannot produce enough extra food to sell. Therefore, the main focus of the Uvira Community University is to teach farmers how to produce enough food to sell, as well as for their own needs, so that they can reduce poverty and help development in their villages.
