HandUp Congo Reports Recent Accomplishments (October 2008)

HandUp Congo has many accomplishments to report, including the following:

• Bridge-building Succeses: Australia's Medical Students' Aid Project won a grant to purchase another motorized canoe for FLO as well as additional stock for Lotumbe's general store to broaden FLO's income-earning capacity along riverside markets in the area around Lotumbe. The grant's goal is self-sustainability for the general store/market, with profits purchasing insecticide-treated mosquito nets for the community.
  
• Zulu candles for Congo Canoe Challenge: A new inititative by Zulu Communications in Australia aims to raise AU$ 2000 from the sale of 100% natural soy wax candles, with $ 1.50 from each item purchased directly donated to Lucy's Congo Canoe Challenge.
  
• Congo Canoe Challenge: In December Anne and Lucy are returned to Congo to work on projects at with FLO in Lotumbe as well as at Université Protestante au Congo, and to raise funds for improvements to the local hospital.
  
• Caritas Australia launches report on DRC's "Forsaken Voices": Caritas Australia invited Lucy to give a speech on the situation in the DRC based on her personal connections at the official launch of their report “Forsaken Voices” on rape as a weapon of war in the DRC.
  
• Goodies from Cargo Pilot: International cargo pilot Bassel Fares has 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 these items to be hand-carried from the USA to Kinshasa by fellow American School of Kinshasa alumnus Cindy Dunn. Merci!
  
• UPC Graduate becomes Hope International Intern: HandUp Congo introduced 25-year-old Université Protestante au Congo (UPC) graduate Sarah Simba to Nate Hulley, Hope International's Managing Director. The introduction led to an internship for Sarah with Hope International in Kinshasa in 2007. Today, says Nate, Sarah "continues to impress in her role as a loan officer" for organization. She is representing the DRC and Hope at a micro-finance conference in South Africa this year.
  
• Scholarships for First Year Medical Students: HandUp Congo facilitated an initiative with the Singapore Foundation and CNEC Partners International to fund tuition more than 150 UPC medical students over the next two years.