Meeting an African Chief
Do you ever have a made-up image in your head of what someone is going to look like?
On my most recent trip to DRC, the Chief of the area surrounding Bolingo Village called and asked to meet with me while I was in town. I had never met him before or any other village chief, for that matter. Honestly, I was a little nervous because it's such an honor to meet with the Chief!
The Bolingo Kids: A few of their favorite things!
There’s nothing better than seeing the Bolingo kids do some of their favorite things. Since we can’t all be in Congo, we’ve brought Bolingo to you!
Raising Chickens in a Developing Country
Many children in the Democratic Republic of Congo are only able to eat starches due to a lack of resources available to them. This can be problematic considering the abundance of research that supports the need for animal protein as a critical asset to a child’s brain development and physical health. This lack of essential protein is a serious problem that impacts children all over the world but especially in the Congo.
Let’s Talk About Snake Oil
What is snake oil and why the heck are we talking about it? That’s a great question. One that we had as well when our Village Manager mentioned it to us as a way to ward off snakes from our property. Yes, we have had some run-ins with snakes at Bolingo Village in Congo.
Update: Temporary Placements at Bolingo
Bolingo Village wasn’t intended to accept temporary placements. Still, last year, we made an exception for three siblings for three main reasons.
Meet our Village Manager!
Bolingo Village is a big enterprise. Within the next few years, we will have 28 families living there. It’s a big job managing all of it and we’re thrilled to introduce you to our Bolingo Village Manager, Ruth Makendelo!
2 Weeks in Congo
Program coordinator, Kayla Shanks, catches us up on what happened on her two week trip to Bolingo Village earlier this month!
A Foster Mom’s Love.
I will never forget the moment I realized how fiercely our Bolingo Village foster moms love their kiddos...
DRC Education & Bolingo Village
The promise of Bolingo is to help all our kiddos become the best versions of themselves and prepare them to succeed in life. Access to quality education has to be a part of that. It is a commitment that we’ve made and will meet.
There Are Many Broken Children…
Once our kiddos come to us, they have it pretty good - that’s the point of Bolingo. It’s easy to forget that every single child in Bolingo has a story. They all have trauma and a heartbreaking life experience.
2020 Annual Report
With your help, we were able to accomplish A LOT this past year. Global Orphan Foundation’s 2020 annual report details these accomplishments amongst other ins and outs of our operations for the year of 2020.
Goodbye 2020, Hello 2021
In 2020, everyone, all around the world, had life interrupted. Bolingo Village was no different. The kids had to adjust to a new schedule, a new normal; but they still had food, they had a home, a foster mom, siblings, a place where they belonged, felt safe, and loved.
The Vision for Bolingo Village Pt 2
Bolingo Village was never meant to just meet the basic needs of the children who call it home. It was never meant to just meet the standard of survival. Our vision has always been to surpass the basics by providing them with a true childhood experience filled with guidance, care, and love.
Building a Village: Phase 2
From the beginning, when it was just an idea to the current reality of giving children a better life every day. We are making significant progress and taking steps to ensure that Bolingo can serve many generations of children to come.
Getting Involved: it’s as easy as…
One of our consistent obstacles has been how to give people in the US a satisfying volunteer experience when we’re not able to take everyone with us on a trip to DRC.
The Vision for Bolingo Village Pt 1
Bolingo Village has been a dream of ours for years - we have worked tirelessly to make it a reality, and we’re so grateful that kids are growing up in a community of love and support. We have already implemented a large portion of our vision - but we’re not done yet.
5 Reasons You Should Care About DR Congo
What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the Democratic Republic of Congo? For some, it might be extreme poverty or disease. For others, it may be the violence-stricken turmoil in the east. While these are all, unfortunately, accurate depictions of DRC, we feel that it’s time that people learn a little bit more about the country we love so dearly.
Update: Campamento Mi Momento 2020
We have made the tough decision not to have Campamento Mi Momento this year. Our choice is out of an abundance of caution for our campers, counselors, and staff safety.