Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kinshasa (Fides Service)- Cana camp at Kimpoko, 40 km from Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is ‘home’ for about 80 families, mostly widows and children of the old Armed Forces of Zaire, a country renamed Democratic Republic of Congo in 1997.
Life in the camp is precarious: no electricity or water. Torches and oil lamps are a luxury. The people live in tents exposed to all weathers. The camp is remote, far from built up areas or any place where water or food can be obtained.
The only assistance they have comes from the Jesuit Refugees Service JRS which has a medical centre and a school in the camp. According to the local Catholic new agency DIA, at Christmas JRS organised a Christmas party and gave extra rations of rice and presents for the children. Music was played but without electricity it could not be relayed to the whole camp.
Christine Ngabusi, a camp leaders expressed the hope that in this new year the government will give more attention to the situation and future of the people at Cana Camp and provide proper homes for these families whose husbands and fathers served the nation and died on the battle field.
To improve the economic conditions of the families at Cana JRS supplied seed to grow ground nuts, but the land in the area is not suitable and the harvest was very poor.
Besides JRS at Cana there are a few women religious members of a locally founded institute assisted by the people of a nearby parish who people do their best to offer all the help they can. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 13/1/2006 righe 28 parole 336)
