A donation from the Westside Community Church in Morden, Manitoba provided the impetus for establishing a CAL school in the city of Kikwit in the southwest of DRC. About 60 computers were also collected in Edmonton and shipped to Kikwit.

On February 11, 2023, a ribbon cutting at the new CAL school in Kikwit opened the school to learners. Visiting dignitaries included the Vice Chair of the Congolese Mennonite Brethren Church, the Mayor of Kikwit, and the Superintendent of the Congolese Mennonite Brethren school system. The Superintendent has made the entire Grade 1 to 12 curriculum of the MB school system available to CAL Congo.

The educational content on the computers includes the mandatory elementary and high school curricular materials specific to the DRC, a library (with a component of peace literature) and encyclopedia, dictionaries, and an atlas. Vocational sewing instruction is also offered at the school.

Initially, 25 sewing students and 69 academic students enrolled. In February 2024, 25 students graduated from the Sewing and Tailoring program, and some of the graduates have already set up their own sewing businesses. Another 24 students were enrolled in the vocational program following the graduation.

In June 2024, ten (10) students from the CAL academic school sat the national Grade Six exams and all of them passed, demonstrating the effectiveness of the program. The CAL school in Kikwit also continued its community service program by providing access to computer training for Kikwit gendarmes. This training takes place after the regular students have left for the day and gives the officers valuable new skills and provides some security for the school.

Addressing Barriers to Education: The Sanitary Kits Initiative

For many Congolese girls, the lack of access to, or the money to pay for, sanitary products during their menstrual periods can be a significant obstacle to attending school. Recognizing this barrier, Gloria and Theo Fumana, leaders of CAL Congo, launched a project with the River West Christian Church in Edmonton to assemble hygiene kits consisting of small, sewn bags containing reusable, sewn sanitary pads; panties; and a bar of soap.

On their trip to the DRC in March, the Fumanas distributed 66 kits in Kinshasa and Kikwit. To follow up on this initiative and ensure sustainability, the women in CAL Congo’s vocational sewing program will learn how to sew the sanitary pads themselves, enabling the program to continue serving students long-term.

This initiative illustrates one of the key advantages of the CAL program: its flexibility. In a conventional school, students who are away from class for some reason miss out on learning the material taught during their absence. In a CAL school, however, the fact that students follow the curriculum on the computer at their own pace means that they simply continue learning where they left off before the interruption. This flexibility is particularly valuable for girls who might otherwise fall behind or drop out due to menstrual challenges.

CAL Congo is working closely with the Congolese Mennonite Brethren Church. The program continues to grow, providing essential educational opportunities to students in the region who would otherwise have limited access to quality education.