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“Boscolac” is a response to what the most needy youngsters in the area require. There on 4 April, 30 of them arrived with very few possessions but the determination to overcome the difficulties. They all come from displaced families living in Mugunga, a tent city on the outskirts of Goma, where Boscolac is built. As soon as they had stowed their things they ran to the pitch and started playing.
Fr Faustin Llunga, local Director of the project, welcomed them with the words: “In this centre you have to become good Christians and upright citizens,” as he encouraged them to keep going. Afterwards to help them to settle in and get to know each other they introduced themselves. Also present were Willliam and Nestor, the two leaders who live with the youngsters; Deogratias, the infirmarian; Jean Paul and Papa Kabumba who are the watchmen. Then Oscar Nkot, a Red Deporte worker who has led the project from the beginning last year, gave a talk thanking everyone for the support received and encouraging the youngsters to benefit from this fine opportunity.
In a sign of welcome Mr Nkot gave each one of the new arrivals a bag with a blanket and sheets. All the youngsters then went to the rooms to prepare for bed. “You only need half a minute to see that for many of them it was the first time they had slept on a mattress with sheets and a blanket,” observed Mr. Nkot.
In the next few months the Boscolac Centre will also provide the opportunity to attend various workshops: on conflict management, human rights, basic health care, nutrition... to the heads of the communities in the neighbouring districts which are inhabited for the most part by families displaced by the war. The first workshop, on building peace, already took place on 2-3 April, and among those attending were some of the parents of the new residents of Boscolac. In the future it is also hoped to start a paid work programme and for the infirmary of the centre (where a psychologist will provide part time services) to help the community to have access to better health care.
Published 15/04/2011
