The Tale of Two Sewing Machines Continues... and how you can help

HandUp Congo facilitates partnerships for FLO projects • HandUp Congo, Inc.: Fiscal Agents a California non-profit • A World Institute for founded in 2006 Sustainable Humanity, • Unpaid directors: USA Lucy Hobgood-Brown, Anne Zolnor & Betsy Brill • CNEC Partners International, • Tax deductibility: Australia HandUp Congo has fiscal agents in the US & Australia

Democratic Republic of Congo A Background of Conflict • The “worst humanitarian disaster since World War II” — The International Rescue Committee • Bloody regional fights began with the spillover of the Rwandan genocide in 1994. • An estimated 5 million people have died due to this conflict since 1998. • Armed groups from Congo and from neighboring countries continue to vie for power and natural resources in a country endowed with the largest amount of mineral wealth per square meter in the world. • A January 2008 peace agreement yields only occasional stability and violence continues on the Eastern borders. Remaining militias continue to rape, loot, and destroy remote villages there.

The Human Impact • DRC is ranked 152nd on the UNDP Human Development index of 174 countries: a fall of 12 places since 1992 (UNDP: 2008) • 80% of the population lives on less than US $0.20 per day (IMF: 2002) • The average life expectancy at birth is 51.1 years (CIA World Factbook: 2006)

Skilled health staff are absent for between 65 and 85 percent of births in Congo. (Doctors Without Borders: 2005) Lotumbe’s hospital has one doctor. Another doctor travels by canoe to serve almost 94,000 people in the region. The women were trying to reach the Lotumbe hospital but didn’t make it in time. One baby of THREE born here died. Photo by Lucy Hobgood-Brown December 2008

Where in the World is Lotumbe? …a long way from anywhere Note the absence of roads. The DRC is the size of the US east of the Mississippi. Congo’s conflict- ridden Eastern borders with Rwanda & Uganda are far from Lotumbe, which is accessible only by canoe.

The Women Behind FLO Chantal Bofeko (L) & Antoinette Mapele (R) December 2008 Antoinette was unavailable during the filming of “A Tale of Two Sewing Machines.” She & Chantal have been equal collaborators.

First Load of Materials for Store documented with cell phone — typical reporting FLO consistently documents the use of donor funds

Villagers Pitch In More cell phone images of first shipment being offloaded in Lotumbe.

Repairs Under Way for Store Another cell phone image ••• Images such as these await the next canoe trip to the provincial capitol, where they are transmitted by Internet.

Store Customers … shopping in town instead of paddling for a week

Garden Expansion US Embassy Grant 2006/2007

Professional Development at HEAL Africa in Eastern Congo Facilitated by HandUp Congo & paid for by CNEC Partners Int’l & other HandUp Congo supporters Dr. Bolingo & agri-specialist Celestin Engelemba use computer purchased for FLO. Antoinette brings along her newborn.

Microloans for Women A thumbprint signs the contract

HandUp Congo partners with Hope International to provide microfinance training for Chantal in Kinshasa: Collaboration continues.

Record-Keeping ••• Savings-based lending model — resulting from training.

First Graduates / Sewing School Each graduate receives a diploma & a microloan to buy a sewing machine.

Motorized Canoe for Doctor & Riverside Markets Fran Zone Holiday Party “World of Good” Auction For HandUp Congo A friend turns her personal holiday party into a fundraiser. The regional doctor no longer must paddle to outlying villages.

Goods for Sale Typical Riverside Market

Before Before/After Sewing School US Embassy Grant: expands school (2007/2008) After

Before Canoe Mooring, Riverside Park for Community After New FLO Initiative Clean up riverside canoe docking area & create pleasant public space for locals.

Second Motorized Canoe, 2008 Grant written by Medical Students Aid Project in Australia, funded by Australian Ethical Investment, facilitated by HandUp Congo • Additional funds increase stock of floating market & general store. Goal: Generate income to pay for insecticide- treated mosquito nets.

Typical Accountability

Newly Built (2008) General Store CNEC Partners Int’l: grant to build permanent, more secure store & expand stock FLO photos taken with camera donated by Sanyo (note higher quality!)

Lucy & Anne with Chantal & Antoinette December 2008 HandUp Congo returns to Congo at least every 18 months.

December 2008 Photo Report Lucy and HandUp Congo teammate Linda James (in hat) cut up with Antoinette & Chantal

December 2008 Trip Observations Microfinance Operations Mature The savings- based group model is serving more women. Photo by Lucy, December 2008

December 2008 Trip Observations Support for Widows New FLO Initiative Garden for widows with shady meeting place & food. Sewing students made the dresses for the women.

Community Identifies Needs Clean Water &Sanitation FLO & Lotumbe’s doctors identify water sanitation and hygiene as critical needs. • One regional hospital serving 93,458 people • Three schools • 6,867 local HandUp Congo facilitates inhabitants Red Cross assessment visit in 2007.

Red Cross Community Needs Assessment • Red Cross Analysis & Proposal Adhere to UNICEF Standards 3 wells,including one at the hospital 4 rainwater collection stations and hand-washing facilities at the schools 5 public latrine stations • household latrines Comprehensive, community-wide public health outreach & education Total Project Cost = $226,000

Wish List QuickTimeª and a decompressor are needed to see this picture. Help Motivated People Help Themselves HEALTH INCOME GENERATION EDUCATION • $1000 — 200 mosquito • $20,000 — renovate & nets. furnish guest house for paying • $300 – 50 school visitors. uniforms & pairs of shoes. • $6000 — 20 beds, mattresses & bedpans. • $30,000 — purchase sawmill & generator. • $750 – one year’s • $226,000 — massive clean water & sanitation education expenses for project (wells, latrines, a Lotumbe teacher. rainwater collection systems, & community- wide public health • $4000 — renovate & education).

www.handupcongo.org Help us help these motivated & resourceful people

Make It Happen! Betsy Brill HandUp Congo Director (pro bono) Fisherman’s Wharf Rotary Club, San Francisco Rotary District 5150 +1-415-931-6710 Betsyb123@mac.com Lucy Hobgood-Brown HandUp Congo Director (pro bono) Sydney, Australia +61-2/9879-4925 lucy@claypartners.com Contact one of us to request a copy of this PowerPoint presentation and/or “A Tale of Two Sewing Machines.”

The Tale of Two Sewing Machines Continues... and how you can help

by Betsy Brill on May 24, 2009

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The Tale of Two Sewing Machines Continues... and how you can help — Presentation Transcript