History
From 2006 to today.
In 2006, the first discussions took place and the project was launched by Macaire Gitango Muzeya, traditional leader of Lukunga and parish priest of La Bruyère, in Walloon Brabant (Belgium). That same year, the first contacts were established with Jean-Michel Bosmans and a budget was drawn up for the construction of a health centre. Funding was sought and the decision was made to launch the project, despite practical challenges such as travel costs, the use of local structures and the question of the project’s long-term sustainability.
In 2007, a decisive meeting with Father Frans Rens, Superior of the Jesuits in Kikwit, led to the decision to undertake a first trip in 2008 to assess the feasibility of the project. In 2008, Macaire Gitango and Jean-Michel Bosmans made their first journey to Kikwit and then to Gungu, marking the beginning of the construction of the health post and the creation of the Lukunga-Beauvechain-Ensemble non-profit organisation.
In 2009, the Lukunga health centre was successfully built. In 2010, a group of ten young Belgians made their first trip to Lukunga, where they installed a grain mill. In 2012, a second youth trip followed: a library was created and the Mampu agroforestry project was launched. Solar panels were also installed to supply electricity to the health centre, allowing it to operate at night as well.
In 2014, the project to build a school in Lukunga was prepared and the ongoing projects were continued. In 2016, construction began on four classrooms and the headteacher’s office at the Maman Odile school. In 2018, the second wing of the school was completed, bringing the total number of permanent classrooms to eight.
From 2020 to 2022, the permanent office of the non-profit organisation in Lukunga was built, despite the obstacles linked to COVID-19, and the work was finally completed.
In 2023, activities resumed, the permanent office was finalised and, while waiting for the finalisation of the e-learning space, supplied with electricity.
Curious to discover our projects?
Our non-profit organisation has already carried out several projects that have a lasting impact on the lives of the people of Lukunga. But we’re not stopping there: we continue to develop new projects in order to contribute even more to a better future. Click the link below to discover how our actions have made — and will undoubtedly continue to make — a difference.
Together, we are changing everyday life
Lukunga is a remote region of Congo, where residents have had to live for many years with limited infrastructure, low incomes and almost no access to healthcare. Thanks to long-term collaboration with the local team, many improvements have already been made: primary care is now better organised, the population can access help more quickly, and health problems are detected earlier. The challenges remain significant, but step by step we are seeing progress. Together, we are building a stronger and healthier future for the people of Lukunga and the surrounding areas.
