Butoke
update, October 2010
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
In Congo, we are in the midst of the “Season of the witches,”
so people suffer hunger and many diseases and death is all around especially of
children and elderly.
2011 should be an election year and politicians are
preparing. The Roman Catholic church is said to provide them with spiritual
advisors… In 2011, NGOs like Butoke that are not church linked will need to be
extremely careful not to be confused with political parties.
There are rumours that the Military court will reopen the
case of Simon Kimbangu, pointing to the lack of recognition of human rights in
1921 (most Belgians would agree) but the repetition of the case may wake up
xenophobic passions.
Congo TV shows mass meeting to exorcise evil spirits and
women and girls wrangle in unbelievable contortions, while shouting and crying
their anxiety and pain.
Butoke has faced major threats in the last six months, but
we feel new momentum. We take strength in the fact that Butoke has gained
national recognition officially and is now entitled to tax exemption and that
in the USA «Friends of Butoke» is about at the same point and our English
friends are getting formalized and planing their actions. So we are all set for
action
As before, RDC needs many activities that favor survival and
quality of life, some of which can be done while generating funds. This is not
only important for sustainability but also to be able to serve as a local model
for replication by other NGOs.
We started the transition in April and our support by
«Friends of Butoke» has been enthusiastic and helpful although it is not yet
formalized. So while we had planned to maintain a nucleus of prior activities
it was very hard to do so, also because UNICEF had left unpaid 4 months of
activities on their behalf which left us debt ridden, but they have just paid
for December 2009 and January 2010.
We think it is important, in order to gain momentum, that we
have a dialogue on what each group of «Friends» would like to do through
Butoke, Butoke has easy access to competences in the fields of agriculture,
nutrition, education, medicine, and computer science. We who are in Congo can
tell you whether your preferred activities are feasible, especially in 2011; at
what investment cost; what likely local utility these activities can have for
quality of life or survival; and whether we estimate it can be self sustaining
financially.
For Butoke, support of the orphanage is a must. So far, it is largely dependent
on Cecile’s pension. Our first attempt at regular fundraising for that purpose
shows that under the current worldwide crisis, this maybe not feasible. So we
need local income generation through activities that are self supporting and
generate a surplus.
We realized we needed to develop a different strategy
notably to select some new base activities, helping people while generating
funds. We have discussed some priorities for base activities that can be
sustained by Butoke or the communities while waiting for the formalization of a
human development project with ACDI or other donor and be part of the
continuing concern before, during and after the project.
Given the variety of needs and the relatively modest
investments we expect from «Friends of Butoke», our selected priorities are:
·
proximity medicine in Kananga (started based on a local
gift of building and equipment valued at about $20,000), if possible in Luiza
and Tshikaji (minimum investment $ 2000 to start a clinic);
·
a popular pharmacy at a suburb of Kinshasa (started
on gifts from Australia of USD 1500),
and if possible to be done in Tshikaji, Kananga et Luiza;
·
a granary for the orphanage and if possible for the
community in Tshikaji (this would require a loan or a gift of minimal USD 15000
before 1st December but would save $4000 to $6000 over 2011);
·
A cyber at Masina suburb of Kinshasa (catering to the middle
and low class without any internet connection), which would require modification
building $1000, internet, and five computers.
To satisfy as many needs here as possible and seize
opportunities to give impulse to meaningful development activities while
supporting the orphans and indigents, we invite each one of the national
«Friends of Butoke», to formulate a focus for fundraising. The focus could be
among the above priorities or the orphanage or instead some other activity you
think might be more understood as very useful and on which we have formed an
agreement.
Please let us know how you feel about this, the Lord invites
us all together to bring light in the current darkness
In His love
Jean and Cecile
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Friends of Butoke,
Inc. is now incorporated and application has been made for 501-c-3 status in
the USA. Until it is granted,
contributions in the USA can be made payable to Maryland Presbyterian Church,
1105 Providence Rd., Baltimore, MD, 21286, USA, marked “for Butoke.” These contributions may be tax deductible in
the USA.
For those not
interested in a USA tax deduction, contributions can be made payable to H.
Branch Warfield, 13801 York Rd., V-3, Cockeysville, MD. 21030, marked “for
Butoke.”
Contributions to
Butoke in Canada can be sent through World Hope Canada, Box 21082, RPO Ottawa
South, Ottawa, ON K1S 5N1
UK
Contributions in the
United Kingdom can be sent through Paul Evans, 5 Westville Ave., Illkley, LS29
9AH, United Kingdom.