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Scholarship recipient Merveille Bunangana Bokumo comes from war-torn Eastern Congo. "As soon as I finish medical school, I plan to return to my home in Ituri Province to treat war refugees who can't afford medical care." Merveille Bunangana Bokumo is a 3rd-year medical student at Université Protestante au Congo (UPC) with four more years to go. We met her during our June 2024 trip to Congo. She said she and her parents especially are grateful for the tuition scholarship from Education Congo. She hopes she will continue to be able to receive tuition assistance to complete her medical studies. 1:27 min. video of Merveille speaking in French, June 2024 at UPC in Kinshasa, Congo 56% of the 9,658 students at Université Protestante au Congo were women in 2024   If you would like to support scholarships for women at UPC, consider donating to one of Education Congo's named funds  designated for women: Sue Cardwell Fund —designated for women students from Bolenge Province or Equateur Province who are preparing for careers in teaching Jain-Goel Fund —designated for women medical school students at UPC Sanichas IT Fund —designated for women computer science students at UPC Sanichas Law Fund —designated for women law school students at UPC Jack & Linda Spencer Fund —designated for women medical school students at UPC To donate to a named fund, click the donate button above,  choose "Named funds" to go to our secure donation site, then scroll to choose your preferred named fund. To donate by check,  write the name of the fund on the memo line of the check and mail to Education Congo, PO Box 29, Lamar CO 81052 USA. If you are taking distributions from your IRA,  you might consider making a direct donation from your account to Education Congo. The distribution amount that is paid directly to Education Congo would not be taxable to you and could save you some income tax dollars. Please talk to your financial and/or tax advisors on how to best make this kind of donation. (If you go this route, be sure to notify us with details.)

Grace Banza Ilunga has been a scholarship beneficiary for four years. is in her 4th year studying Management at Université Protestante au Congo (UPC) "I sincerely want to thank those who finance Education Congo scholarships. Without them I would not have been able to pay for or attend this prestigious university. It is an honor to receive this scholarship, and I hope it will continue to encourage young people like us who want to learn but don't have the means to attend a major university like this one. Merci." 56% of the 9,658 students at Université Protestante au Congo were women in 2024   If you would like to support scholarships for women at UPC, consider donating to one of Education Congo's named funds  designated for women: Sue Cardwell Fund —designated for women students from Bolenge Province or Equateur Province who are preparing for careers in teaching Jain-Goel Fund —designated for women medical school students at UPC Sanichas IT Fund —designated for women computer science students at UPC Sanichas Law Fund —designated for women law school students at UPC Jack & Linda Spencer Fund —designated for women medical school students at UPC To donate to a named fund, click the donate button above,  choose "Named funds" to go to our secure donation site, then scroll to choose your preferred named fund. To donate by check,  write the name of the fund on the memo line of the check and mail to Education Congo, PO Box 29, Lamar, CO  81052 USA. If you are taking distributions from your IRA,  you might consider making a direct donation from your account to Education Congo. The distribution amount that is paid directly to Education Congo would not be taxable to you and could save you some income tax dollars. Please talk to your financial and/or tax advisors on how to best make this kind of donation. (If you go this route, be sure to notify us with details.)

Michael Ebongya Bayenge During our trip to Congo in June 2024, we met the student body president of UPC's computer science department (Faculté des Sciences Informatiques, FASI), Michael Ebongya Bayenge . He is in his 4th year at FASI and has been the recipient of an Education Congo tuition scholarship all four years. He is working on a class project that uses algorithms to analyze medical imagery. He is also  in an internship program in his specialty area of cyber security and, like most FASI students, will be assured of employment in Kinshasa upon graduating. Michael lost his father at an early age, but other relatives stepped in to help pay for his education prior to university. He now serves as inspiration to his younger brothers and sisters, who also hope to attend university. Michael believes computer science will be integral to the transformation of his country and has ambitions in politics as well! Support the education solution  to build a stronger Congo! When qualifying students receive named-fund scholarships,  it is for the duration of their studies. This makes a huge difference when you consider that a student could otherwise be obliged to drop out just short of becoming a doctor or lawyer or computer science professional! To donate online on our secure payment portal, click the button below We are also happy to accept donations by check. Note “Sanichas Computer Science” on the memo line and mail to Education Congo, PO Box 29, Lamar CO 81052 USA. If you would like to start a new named fund with the designation of your choice, email info@educationcongo.org If you are taking distributions from your IRA,  you might consider making a direct donation from your account to Education Congo. The distribution amount that is paid directly to Education Congo would not be taxable to you and could save you some income tax dollars. Please talk to your financial and/or tax advisors on how to best make this kind of donation. (If you go this route, be sure to notify us with details.)

Many Education Congo board members, including Jimmy Shafe ’67 and Margaret Loewen ‘72, grew up in Congo and attended The American School of Kinshasa (TASOK). Because we saw the need, we all became involved in Education Congo, which raises funds for higher education as the long-term solution for building a stronger Congo. Our deep connections to Congo have also led to the development of the TASOK Scholarship Fund for UPC students. Phil Kliewer, Executive Director of Education Congo, describes the genesis of the TASOK fund and how TASOK alumni continue to pool together to build it. Many of the students' families cannot come up with annual tuition of only $800-$1,200. We need your help as we continue to grow the TASOK (The American School of Kinshasa) Alumni Scholarship Fund for Congolese students at Université Protestante au Congo (UPC).  Envision a university that has grown from 3 (yes three) to 9,000 students during the past 60 years—in what has been the direst of circumstances at times. That is Université Protestante au Congo. Many of you personally recall fellow TASOK students whose families formed the original faculty of the university. From the original School of Theology, UPC has now expanded to include Schools of Business/Economics, Law, Medicine and Computer Science. UPC graduates are making a difference UPC’s alumni have gone on to receive Fulbright Scholarships and work in a variety of sectors ranging from private equity firms to nonprofits. Seven UPC graduates are now serving in government, five of which are women —including the Minister of Foreign Affairs who met recently with the Duchess of Edinburgh during her 2025 visit to Congo . The former Rector of UPC, the late Dr. Daniel Ngoy , was a UPC alumnus. Another PhD graduate of UPC, Fatuma Ngongo Kilongo, is the first woman head of Université Evangélique en Afrique in Bukavu, the other university that Education Congo partners with. Tuition shortfall fundraisers Last year, almost 1,000 UPC students were unable to pay their entire tuition or the balance of their tuition at the end of the year, resulting in being unable to take exams and proceed to the next year of studies. Education Congo has had successful fundraisers to help fill the tuition gap for many of these students. Please contact us if you are interested in providing matching funds for our next tuition shortfall fundraiser. Support the education solution in Congo! You can make a positive, lasting impact on this country that ranks near the bottom of the U.N. Development Index (a measurement of a country’s achievement in health, knowledge and standard of living). Congo’s potential for stability and growth in the heart of Africa is tremendous. Education is the key. Make a contribution to TASOK's Scholarship Fund for UPC students. Proceeds from this fund pay for scholarships year after year. The larger the fund, the larger the payoff—so please help to keep building this fund! To donate online at our secure payment portal, click the button below: We are also happy to accept donations by check. Note “TASOK Fund” on the memo line and mail to Education Congo, PO Box 29, Lamar CO 81052 USA. If you would like to start a new named fund with the designation of your choice, email info@educationcongo.org If you are taking distributions from your IRA,  you might consider making a direct donation from your account to Education Congo. The distribution amount that is paid directly to Education Congo would not be taxable to you and could save you some income tax dollars. Please talk to your financial and/or tax advisors on how to best make this kind of donation. (If you go this route, be sure to notify us with details.) Balance updates 10/15/2024 The balance is $52,018 with its earnings paying out every year for scholarships at Université Protestante au Congo. Bravo TASOK Alumni—let's keep building this fund! 5/23/2025 Current balance has grown to $56,008! The higher the fund—the greater the number of scholarships it can support. 7/7/2025 Now up to $59,637—keep those donations coming! 10/20/2025 Current balance at $62,037! When qualifying students receive named-fund scholarships, it is for the duration of their studies. This makes a huge difference when you consider that a student could otherwise be obliged to drop out just short of becoming a doctor or lawyer or computer science professional! Alumni from The American School of Kinshasa, attended by a highly diverse (and unusual) body of students over the years, have really risen to the occasion in supporting this fund! However, anyone can contribute to any Education Congo fund, so please help to spread the word by sharing the link to this website or clicking the Facebook icon to share to your personal Facebook page. Thank you.

Education Congo scholarships Over 90% of donations to Education Congo go directly into tuition scholarships at two leading private Congolese universities. These donations are applied as tuition credit for students who cannot otherwise afford to stay enrolled. With tuition costing only around $1,000 per year in Congo, this would be a dream come true in the United States. But in Congo, $1,000 is about twice the average annual income. This is a country where education is not a "given"—but where people truly believe it is the way forward for their children and for their nation. 2024 UPC interns in Kimpese with Mary Sanichas and Margaret Loewen Other Education Congo support In addition to providing tuition scholarships, Education Congo works closely with our two partner universities to assist with special projects that will provide the highest impact dollar for dollar. One of these vital projects is funding transportation for Université Protestante au Congo (UPC) medical school interns to remote teaching hospitals—where Congo's doctor shortage is felt most acutely. The road to Kisantu during dry season Transportation not a trivial matter The words "transportation" and "remote" take on a whole new meaning in the Congo! It is a vast country (3.5 times larger than Texas) with deeply rutted dirt roads in the remote areas. And a rainy season that defies travel by motor vehicles! The situation is such that embedding medical interns in remote hospitals—where they are desperately needed—is a major undertaking. Bouncy road an understatement… Last June we drove from Kinshasa to Kisantu to visit one group of interns, then, after an overnight stay, on to Kimpese for another group of interns. I tell people that we didn't drive once we got off the main road, we "bounced" there. The road doesn't look as bouncy at this point, but you can see what a firm grip our driver Pierre has on the wheel. The road went on forever and carried vehicles of all sizes. We passed toppled trucks, broken-down vehicles, huge trucks full of colorful cargo from Angola. Passengers were riding in every conceivable place—from on top of truck loads even to astride the hitch! I would have been hanging onto the tie-down rope for dear life, but many passengers actually appeared to be sleeping. Bouncing vehicles from the oncoming direction were preceded by a cloud of red dust. I'd been warned about the long, arduous drive, but for me it was the most amazing drive I have ever experienced. Also I could see why my Education Congo travel companions had been eager to make sure our trip took place before the onset of the rainy season. Once delivered to a remote teaching hospital, interns stay there for a year because transportation is such a major undertaking. They draw straws to determine who gets assigned to which location. Aside from giving interns real-world experience and involvement in communicable disease and other research, one major goal is to introduce these future doctors to parts of the country where they are needed most. Retaining Congolese talent and capacity in Congo The Congolese students whose parents can afford to send them to medical school abroad tend to stay abroad, where they can make more money. By offering scholarships to needy students, Education Congo is helping to retain talent in Congo—where it is needed—rather than exporting it abroad. UPC's Prof. Samuel Mampunza at left with representatives of Education Congo and others at St. Luc's Hospital in Kisantu (south of Kinshasa) Education Congo currently funds transportation for UPC interns to Kisantu, Kimpese, Vanga and Tshikaji. Only a handful of interns are assigned to a local hospital in Kinshasa. By facilitating the transport of interns to remote areas, Education Congo is not only enhancing their value as doctors in Congo, but engaging them in regions where they may not otherwise seek employment. While a few students we met came from remote areas and planned to go back upon graduating, most were from Kinshasa and had never been to these areas. For all these reasons, the rural internship program at UPC is extremely valuable. First UPC interns at St. Luc's Hospital in Kisantu The student elected president of UPC's Kisantu interns 2024 was the first year that UPC had arranged to send about a dozen interns to St. Luc's Hospital in Kisantu, and, as such, they were under scrutiny. We toured the hospital, then met with them as a group. They had elected amongst themselves a president and spokesperson. He explained at length how they had self-organized to help each other out, live together, coordinate work schedules and study. If there was a problem they got together to work it out. Their esprit de corp and pride as a community was really uplifting! Cooperative cleaning schedule on the bathroom door of the Kisantu interns. It reads, "Cleaning is done every other day. Let's respect the schedule please." Later, when we visited the house rented for them by UPC, the interns proudly pointed out their schedule for cleaning the bathroom. They had also collectively hired a cook. I kept thinking of the sociology class I took in college and how the Kisantu interns had created a perfect example of "community"—defined as "a social group with a common territorial base, with the same interests and a sense of belonging to the group." But unlike my carefree days in college, these students did not have the luxury of dabbling in elective classes like sociology. Their parents had to struggle just to pay their way through primary and secondary school. By the time university was an option, they were already laser focused on becoming doctors. Internship rotations We also interviewed the enthusiastic Kisantu interns as a group. We asked each to describe his or her favorite rotation, as this is a time when they are discovering which area of medicine impassions them the most. Video clip (1 minute/30 seconds, English subtitles)—Kisantu intern describes his first experience of surgery One intern described feeling the beating of the patient's heart during surgery as a profound, transcending experience. What he said was very moving. Video above. Before hearing him, I'd thought of surgery as a very messy way to make a living. Later, I asked Margaret (who is an MD) about it, and she confirmed that indeed yes, this is the magic of surgery. Video clip (under a minute, English subtitles)—Kisantu intern talks about the shortage doctors in rural Congo Because of UPC's commitment to retaining Congolese talent within Congo and to recruit doctors to work in remote areas, I asked one intern if she would consider staying in Kisantu to work. When she replied that definitely yes she would because the need was great and it was so calm and peaceful there, the others agreed enthusiastically. Video above. There is quite a difference between life in Kisantu compared to highly congested and polluted Kinshasa, already crowded beyond comprehension with an estimated 15+ million people. As one of the fastest growing megacities in the world, it is projected to reach 58 million by 2075. The interns we met demonstrated their sincere and compelling drive to contribute to the lives of their fellow citizens and to the future of their country. It was a very uplifting experience to meet them! Click the button below to support travel for medical interns at UPC: You can also donate by check,   write "Travel for Interns at UPC" on the memo line of the check and mail to Education Congo, PO Box 29, Lamar, CO  81052 USA. If you are taking distributions from your IRA,  consider making a direct donation from your account to Education Congo. The distribution amount that is paid directly to Education Congo would not be taxable to you and could save you some income tax dollars. Please talk to your financial and/or tax advisors on how to best make this kind of donation. (If you go this route, be sure to notify us with details.) info@educationcongo.org

Daniel Ngoy Boliya Université Protestante au Congo's Rector, Daniel Ngoy Boliya, was a longtime colleague, friend and partner of Education Congo. He died on March 2, 2023, at Centre Médicale de Kinshasa. Ernie Ross was a speaker at Rector Ngoy’s funeral in Kinshasa, which was attended by over 1,000.      Shortly after Rector Ngoy's death, Education Congo board members set up a UPC scholarship fund to honor his 30-year contribution to higher education in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Update as of 12/212023 Additional donors have brought the fund's total up to $19,904. Once the fund reaches $25,000, the following year it will begin paying out earnings to scholarships annually.    Update as of 5/25/2024 Daniel Ngoy's named fund has almost reached maturity. Current balance is $24,114, so only $886 more to go before it will start paying out to scholarships every year! Update as of 10/2024 Good news: the fund in memory of Daniel Ngoy is now fully funded and will begin paying out from next year on. The larger the fund, the larger the payoff—so please help to keep building this fund! Update as of 5/2025 Since January 1, 2025, he Ngoy Named Fund has received $4,520, bringing the total to $32,518. A lifetime contribution to higher education in Congo Rector Ngoy led the university as it built a student body of more than 8,000, over 55% of whom are currently women. He expanded the curriculum, most notably by adding a medical school to train doctors for the rural areas of Congo. He cultivated good relationships with both national and international partners, which enabled his administration to bring UPC to a high level of development in the areas of infrastructure, academic teaching and research programs. Under Rector Ngoy's leadership. UPC signed numerous cooperation agreements with universities at home and abroad. In Congo, UPC signed agreements of cooperation with Université de Kinshasa and Université Catholique du Congo. In Africa, UPC is a leading member of the network of Protestant Universities in Africa (RUPA), and a formal protocol of cooperation was signed by Rector Ngoy and his counterpart at Université Marien Ngouabi in Brazzaville. Numerous other universities are in formal collaboration with UPC as a result of Rector Ngoy’s leadership, including Université Paris-Saclay, the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, the University of North Carolina (UNC), Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Songsil University in Seoul, South Korea. Support the education solution to build capacity in the Democratic Republic of Congo! Make a contribution to Education Congo's Ngoy Scholarship Fund—designated for UPC students. To donate online at our secure payment portal, click the button below: We are also happy to accept donations by check. Note “Ngoy” on the memo line and mail to Education Congo, PO Box 29, Lamar CO 81052 USA. If you would like to start a new named fund with the designation of your choice, email us at info@educationcongo.org If you are taking distributions from your IRA,  you might consider making a direct donation from your account to Education Congo. The distribution amount that is paid directly to Education Congo would not be taxable to you and could save you some income tax dollars. Please talk to your financial and/or tax advisors on how to best make this kind of donation. (If you go this route, be sure to notify us with details.)

During our visit to Université Protestante au Congo (UPC) in June 2024, we'd asked to interview some Education Congo scholarship recipients. We were hoping for in-depth conversations with just a handful of students because surely scheduling would be difficult. Students would be in class and have other obligations. We were busy in meetings with university officials, heads or assistant heads of departments, not to mention auditing/accounting sessions.  Madame Jolie, a highly respected role model as a woman in UPC's administration Our schedule was in the very capable hands of Madame Jolie. It turned out Madame Jolie was not just very capable, but also a miracle worker. She does not just manage the accounting for Education Congo's scholarships, she manages and masterfully inspires the scholarship recipients. But I am getting ahead of myself. Teamwork As for interviewing the students, we were a delegation of four, so I figured I would be the one to take video, someone else would record their names and log the time/date of the video and the other two would ask questions that we'd prepared in advance. I was hoping the students wouldn't feel uncomfortable talking to us and being videotaped—but the complete opposite turned out to be true! Be careful what you wish for The amazing Madame Jolie, who facilitated everything for us during our visit, somehow managed to line up over 40 Education Congo scholarship recipients to meet with us in one afternoon. As I said, we were psychologically prepared to meet only a small sampling of them. And, as it turned out, we were down to a "skeleton crew" of two because two of our comrades were back at the hostel sick. Margaret and I were seated in a small room when Madame Jolie arrived and told us the students were ready. We must have looked perplexed when she opened the door because minutes earlier, the landing and stairwell had been totally empty. Now, magically, the entire area was full of students. I poked my head out, gave a shocked smile to them, took three quick photos and shut the door. The sheer number of them was overwhelming, especially since our two most fluent French speakers were sick back at the hostel. Margaret and I had only about two hours to interview all these students who'd been pulled out of class to talk to us. More scholarship recipients waiting to be interviewed by us. Necessity is the mother of invention Margaret and Madame Jolie let about eight at a time into the small room with us, while the rest waited outside on the landing and down the staircase. They chatted with this group and listed their names while I videotaped each one individually at the other end of the narrow room. [See blog post "Try saying neurochirurgien in French"] Each student was so amazing, but after 30 of them and with all the ambient background noise, it was dizzying. Creative solution for the last group We were running out of time. Margaret and Madame Jolie decided to interview the last group of students together. I asked them to tell us how their generation was different from that of their parents. They were very eager to tell us! Below are some of their answers (translated from French) Medical student speaks eloquently about the Internet English translation: "I'd like to draw a comparison between our generation and the previous generation. I would say that our generation has many more opportunities. Why? Because the generation before us did not have the Internet. They didn't have the possibility of obtaining certain documents and manuals. Especially in medical school, they would have to travel to the library to get documents and anatomy books. Today we have access with our phones or computers. This is really an advantage our generation has. With these technological advances, we have tons of material available to us… but what's a little sad is that with all these advantages our generation can be somewhat oblivious and not take advantage of the resources we can find on the Internet—and instead get more involved in TikTok, WhatsApp and social media. So, I would call on our generation to be conscious and take advantage of what we have. But, also, I would ask our elders from the previous generation to take us young people more seriously and to have more confidence in us. Often when they see us, they'll say, "Oh it's a young person. We don't have confidence in them—all they do is make mistakes." I ask them to have more faith in us!" Economics student talks about the new generation of women in Congo English translation: "In our generation we see the emancipation of women. In the previous generation, our mothers were tied to domestic work at home. But now, here, even our parents and our fathers encourage us to advance in the world and work. I also want to be a role model and to encourage younger women. As you can see, Madame Jolie is a woman who works. Before women did not work. With the emancipation of women, there is improvement. I want to call on young people to take things seriously. To take the time for things that are important instead of using their time on social media and TikTok—while others who want to study do not have the financial means to do so. Also, I want to thank those who donate to Education Congo for your financial help." Video clip with English subtitles (52 seconds) 56% of the 9,658 students at Université Protestante au Congo were women in 2024 Listen to video clips from our 2024 interview with the head of UPC, Prof. Robert N'Kwim, talking about the impressive women students and women alumni from UPC If you would like to support scholarships for women at UPC, consider donating to one of Education Congo's named funds designated for women We are also happy to accept donations by check. Please write the name of the fund on the memo line and mail to Education Congo, PO Box 29, Lamar CO 81052 USA. If you are interested in starting a new named fund with the designation of your choice, email info@educationcongo.org If you are taking distributions from your IRA,  you might consider making a direct donation from your account to Education Congo. The distribution amount that is paid directly to Education Congo would not be taxable to you and could save you some income tax dollars. Please talk to your financial and/or tax advisors on how to best make this kind of donation. (If you go this route, be sure to notify us with details.)

As the son of missionaries, Doug grew up on the Congo River at a magical point where it crosses the equator. Mary: Can you find photos of Bolenge where you grew up, the Congo River, your family or other people in Bolenge? Yourself as a boy! Congo in those days… Doug: I'm not sure I have access to much in the way of photos, other than some passport photos. Mary's passport photo before moving to the Congo Mary: Yes I'd love passport photos, they are so poignant in a way.  Here is mine at 12. The first time I met you, you told me about returning to Bolenge where you grew up and the feeling you had when you saw the Congo River again. Can you describe this? The Congo River has the largest system of navigable waterways in Africa. It is two miles wide in Bolenge. Part of the movie 'The African Queen' was filmed on one of its tributaries to the east of Bolenge. Doug: I went back to Bolenge with my parents 33 years after leaving. It was a real homecoming, seeing our old house and my old haunts. I was delighted that some of my Lonkundo came back. One afternoon, as the sun was setting, I looked from the soccer field, where I had played almost every day, over the two-mile expanse of the Congo River and saw exactly what I had seen every day growing up—beautiful colors reflecting on the river. Suddenly shivers went down my back—a sensation I've never had before or since—and my mind filled with the thought that I was home. Mary: Doug this is amazing, I LOVE your experience of returning home! 1961 map of the Belgian Congo showing airports with green circles and emergency landing fields as small green squares. In 1966 Mobutu replaced European names of cities with African ones, so Coquihatville (named after a prominent Belgian military officer and cartographer) became Mbandaka. It is the capital of Équateur Province. I found a big 1961 Congo map with the pre-Mobutu names of cities. Here is a detail of where I think Bolenge is but I don't see it. Where is it? Doug: Bolenge is ten kilometers south of Mbandaka (Cocquilhatville on the older map). The scale is such that most villages are left off. Just follow the equator to the east bank of the river, and that's Bolenge. 2025 Google satellite view shows how Bolenge is dwarfed by the massive Congo River. Mbandaka is in upper right corner. Mary: Can you tell me more about growing up on the Congo River. Encounters with wild animals, snakes, malaria? Did you canoe around in the Congo River? Crocodiles?  Doug: Growing up in Congo was wonderful. While I was home-schooled I spent mornings doing my schoolwork and then after lunch I went off to meet my Congolese buddies to hang out with them until suppertime (sunset was the signal to get home.) My parents never worried about me because they knew that all the Congolese on the station would look out for me. I loved the freedom. We went fishing, canoed along the bank of the river, played soccer and other games, walked to Mbandaka (six miles each way), walked into the jungle and generally hung out.   2025 satellite closeup shows the soccer field on the equator that Doug played on while growing up We saw lots of birds and the occasional monkey, but the only wildlife we really watched out for was snakes. We learned to watch where we were stepping and in the branches of any bushes we were brushing against, because those were the prime places to find snakes. Any bite would be deadly (you would not live to make it to the hospital, even if they had the right anti-venom).  We only occasionally had close calls: the closest was one night as we were getting the youngest siblings ready for bed, we tried to call the dog out from under the bed and she wouldn't come. We looked and saw what we thought was feces until it moved. It turned out to be a mamba and, thanks to the dog, tragedy was averted. The other snake adventures involved pythons that were after our rabbits or chickens. I still have the 23-foot-long skin of one of them. It had eaten three of our chickens, but then we ate him. Hippos are extremely aggressive and territorial, especially in or near water… While canoeing in a much smaller river we saw the occasional crocodile or hippo. Only the hippos will actually attack a canoe, and I had quite a fright one day when one burst to the surface about 15 feet away and opened wide those huge jaws. We moved away and were lucky he didn't chase us. Mosquitos were ubiquitous and voracious, so nobody escaped bites. I was lucky—I was the only one in my family to never come down with malaria. Mary: How did you feel about suddenly being sent to school with Belgians at 9? Were there any other English-speaking kids in the school? Were the Belgians severe academically and punitive? Doug , I'm asking because I WAILED when my father left me with the nuns in French school for 1 st  grade. Also I remember feeling so grateful I didn't have to board there like many of the kids. Seemed like the worst nightmare possible to be held prisoner full time in such austere and terrifying conditions.  The American School of Kinshasa was originally founded for English-speaking missionary kids in 1961, but it was attended by children of diplomats and expats of all nationalities. Recently (over 50 years later!) I discovered that there was a Belgian school in Kinshasa as well. I almost had a heart attack thinking that our parents could have sent my sister and me there instead of to TASOK—where we were so happy. Even 50 years later, it felt like I'd dodged a bullet! Doug is the oldest boy in this series of passport photos that starts with two and culminates with five children! Doug: As I think I have mentioned before, my life was so full of changes that I learned to accept them. I was three when we left Dad's pastorate in Tupelo, Mississippi and went to Hartford, then Montreal, then New York, then our trek to Congo. Three years in Congo with my Mother supervising me under the Calvert system, back to MS for fourth grade, back to Congo for two(?) more years of Calvert, then Belgian school for sixth grade, then to another station upriver to live with a family in which there was a boy my age and a mother who taught us and another family's kids, again with Calvert, then back home for more Calvert, then back to Mississippi for ninth grade, then to Belgium for six weeks in a local school where I was the lone American, then back to Congo and Central School, which boarded missionary kids from fifth grade through high school, then back to college in the US, which actually lasted four years—a first.  Whew! Belgian school was my introduction to French and to Catholicism. No one spoke English, so I had to pick it up—it took several weeks for me to get comfortable with it, but I had the satisfaction of being the best in the class in dictée before the end. The priest who taught us took an interest me and was very helpful. He allowed me to sit through catechism class, which taught me a lot. He was demanding academically but fairly lenient in discipline. The nun who taught my younger sister was the one who whacked kids with a ruler.   I made several friends from my class and we got along very well, playing soccer and other games and hanging out. I don't remember being very homesick when I was sent upriver to live with another family. Again I was learning to accept life as it came. Then again, I wasn't in first grade like you were; I'm sure that made a difference. Mary: Clarification please:  you said you were plunged into Belgian school and it only took you several weeks to "get comfortable" with it. How could you possibly be comfortable without knowing how to speak French? Do you remember responding to gestures at first? I remember my first experience with French: kids were repeating "Lance la balle… Lance la balle!" (throw the ball) so these were probably my first words. Aside from "au secours!" which our parents taught us to yell if someone was trying to kidnap us. That and "où sont les toilettes ?" if we needed to go to the bathroom. Dictée from a French school textbook on Vocabulary This dictée was from Mary's cahier for French class at TASOK in 1966. She had to write her errors three times each at the bottom of the page. The Belgian teacher was strict but did not humiliate anyone in front of the class. To expand: for   people who haven't experienced it, a "Dictée" is dictation. Out of the blue, the "Maître" or "Maîtresse" (master or mistress) would suddenly announce the piercing word "Dictée" in a way designed to strike terror into your heart. Kids would scramble into position with "plume" in hand, ready to dip into the ink well as needed. Ink blotter in position as well, because ink stains were not tolerated. You never knew when the Dictée was coming. It was a test of your ability to write down correctly what was being said. Aside from a test of writing and grammar skills, it was a test of performance under pressure, knowing every error would be circled in red and that you would be scored—and humiliated in front of the class if you had the lowest score. So when Doug says he was best in the class at Dictée by the end of the year, that is a real accomplishment.  Doug , I'm glad you landed on a compassionate priest. In France, the revolt against an archaic, authoritarian education system started in May 1968, with reforms ensuing. In 2002 a French study concluded that shaming and insults actually hindered academic progress. However in my case FEAR of the aforementioned actually did wonders for my academic progress, and I am very grateful for that.  Doug: Mary, I don't recall being able to study the Dictées ahead of time. I notice the ones in your textbook didn't use the passé composé, so agreements weren't being emphasized. I guess that was difference in grade levels. I do remember that some of them were from the fables, which gave us lots of practice in the passé défini. I also had Dutch, to honor the Flemish part of the Belgian population. Mary: That's pretty funny they had you studying Dutch in the Congo, but I guess it would have been useful to the Belgians returning home. What was Central School? Were there other missionary kids there? Was it fun? Was it a hostel situation as with TASOK (The American School of Kinshasa)? Doug: Central School was on a Presbyterian mission station and had dorms for the boys and girls and a central dining room for the 50 of us missionary kids. Last I heard the building is still there if you ever go to Lubondai. There were five in my graduating class. We were all good friends and have gotten together a number of times over the years, including a 50th reunion in France. Belgian Congo stamps, when Kinshasa was called Leopoldville (after King Leopold II of Belgium) Mary: You left in 1957 when it was still the Belgian Congo. It's amazing to think you were a teenager in equatorial Africa when kids in the States were watching "Leave It to Beaver" and listening to Elvis Presley. How much of that reached you by the time you were in high school at Central and I assume had electricity?  Doug: The only radios were shortwave and belonged to the teachers, so we heard very little in the way of popular music.  The only title that sticks in my head is "Hound Dog." At Lubondai there was electricity from a nearby dam until 11 pm, though our lights-out was 9:30. The generator only produced enough for lights, so the refrigerators worked on kerosene. The laundry was done by hand. Mary: We were in the Congo, though granted in Kinshasa, during another cultural revolution—the mid-sixties. When my father was on a work trip back to the States, he went to a record store and asked what the kids were listening to. Then he brought us back the Rolling Stones (Satisfaction), the Royal Guardsmen (Snoopy and the Red Baron) and the Mamas and the Papas (Monday, Monday), plus Edith Piaf (Je ne regrette rien!) for my sister. More to his taste, he also brought back the sound tracks for Don Quixote, the Pink Panther and Born Free. How did you become involved with Education Congo? 2022: Doug Cardwell at Education Congo board meeting in Atlanta, Georgia. Doug: I knew Ben Hobgood in Congo and stayed in touch with him after returning to the States. I think it was in 2005 that he approached me about joining Education Congo, and I accepted. He was recruiting me to succeed him as executive director, and I soon began helping him with the bookkeeping. When he died suddenly, I had to learn all that he had not yet taught me, or invent it. Mary: How long have you lived in North Carolina? Doug: I have lived in Winston-Salem since 1972—the first time I have spent more than four straight years anywhere. Mary: How did your past educational experiences shape you as a French professor? Doug: In a sense, I learned something from every teacher I had. Since I had several European teachers as well as American, I saw a good variety of techniques and philosophies, and I knew what I did and didn't like. Those examples helped me determine, according to the material, when to lecture (only when necessary), when to ask questions (as much as possible), when to go to the board (only when necessary), when to have the class repeat in unison and when individually. As a child, I used to sit in the back of the class and try to be the last to answer any questions, which taught to watch out for students like me and call on them. Mary: But, Doug, now my main question is: How did your family decide to start two named funds, and how often do you contribute to it? I'm asking in case others may want to follow the same strategy. Doug: When Ben started soliciting for them, I really liked the idea of commemorating and continuing the work my parents had done, so I asked my siblings to join me in that project. We had many discussions about designations and how best to honor both parents, which we felt necessary because both were full-time missionaries. We decided that the only way to do them both justice was to establish one for each, for students in different fields. We built them up as quickly as we could to the $25,000 minimum and then continue to give every year to make them ever bigger and thus help more students at a time. Mary: Thank you Doug. This has been a joy and is a beautiful contribution to the Education Congo website. Also thank you for writing about your parents ( Sue Cardwell and Walter Cardwell ). If you would like to donate to one of Education Congo's scholarship funds in honor of Doug's parents, click go to our secure donation portal: We are also happy to accept donations by check. Please write the name of the fund on the memo line and mail to Education Congo, PO Box 29, Lamar CO 81052 USA. If you are interested in starting a new named fund with the designation of your choice, email info@educationcongo.org If you are taking distributions from your IRA,  you might consider making a direct donation from your account to Education Congo. The distribution amount that is paid directly to Education Congo would not be taxable to you and could save you some income tax dollars. Please talk to your financial and/or tax advisors on how to best make this kind of donation. (If you go this route, be sure to notify us with details.)

We support Education Congo because we honestly believe every scholarship for every student moves the nation one step closer to stability and prosperity. Education Congo provides just over 100 scholarships each year—yet so much more can be done. Jan and I got involved with Université Protestante au Congo (UPC) in 2003 because it seemed to us that education is the “50-year solution” to many of the difficulties facing the Congo.  Chug and Sara Shafe in 1939, right before they went to Congo As UPC's medical school was being founded in 2006, we decided to create a named fund in memory of my parents , Rev. Chug (Charles) and Sara Shafe, through Education Congo. They served as missionaries in Congo from 193 9 to 1942 , when they had to return to the States due to my father’s health . The ocean voyage back to the States was an adventure that involved actually zig-zagging to avoid German submarines! We had a home fire in 1960 that claimed the lives of my dad and my sister Ceci. After the fire, and once my older brother went off to college , my mother and I returned to Congo—where she served as a teacher of missionary kids from 1964 to 1974. Very simply, Congo was my mother’s happy place. Ernie Ross, a classmate in Congo and a longtime friend, once commented to me, “Education is one thing that once you have it, no one can ever take it away from you.” That resonated. Jan and I decided our named fund should be devoted to medical students as a way of promoting a healthier Congo .  Thanks to the Shafe family scholarship fund, Mireille Misenga was able to complete medical school and is currently practicing medicine in Congo. We are thrilled that three students our fund has assisted have graduated from the UPC medical school. Misenga tells her story in a separate post . The MDs we have helped to educate are helping to save lives in our beloved Congo. I can think of no better way to honor a loved one than through establishing a fund that ensures that future lives are enhanced through education.     Jimmy & Jan Shafe,  Decatur, Georgia Support the education solution in Congo! Make a contribution to Education Congo's Shafe Scholarship Fund—designated for UPC medical students. This fund has already reached maturity, so its earnings are paying for scholarships year after year. The fund currently stands at $79,435. That said, the larger the fund, the larger the payout—so please help to keep it growing! When qualifying students receive named-fund scholarships,  it is for the duration of their studies. This makes a huge difference when you consider that a student could otherwise be obliged to drop out just short of becoming a doctor or lawyer or computer science professional! To donate online at our secure payment portal, click the button below: We are also happy to accept donations by check. Note “Shafe Fund” on the memo line and mail to Education Congo, PO Box 29, Lamar CO 81052 USA. If you would like to start a new named fund with the designation of your choice, email info@educationcongo.org If you are taking distributions from your IRA,  you might consider making a direct donation from your account to Education Congo. The distribution amount that is paid directly to Education Congo would not be taxable to you and could save you some income tax dollars. Please talk to your financial and/or tax advisors on how to best make this kind of donation. (If you go this route, be sure to notify us with details.)

In 2017 Education Congo began to develop a relationship with Université Évangélique en Afrique (UEA) in Bukavu on the eastern border of Congo. Upon the recommendation of a German researcher teaching students at UEA, members of Education Congo's board visited UEA and found her recommendation well worth our visit and consideration of support. Focus on front-wave issues relevant to Eastern Congo During that visit, board members observed a progressive style of university leadership emphasizing transparency and accountability for students and faculty alike, while focusing students on the front wave of issues relevant to Eastern Congo. We saw a multi-disciplinary group of students researching ethics in governance and confronting government officials with their findings, medical students in a lab testing their own DNA for sickle cell anemia as a way of learning to curb that disease, theology students focused on peace studies and healing in a country torn by brutality, social science students learning how to moderate conflict and bring healing, and an agriculture program that not only raises pigs and squash, but addresses pollution. We also visited the Panzi Hospital where medical interns from UEA learn not only how to perform gynecological repair for victims of military rapes, but the bedside manners and other support needed for long-term holistic healing. Dr. Denis Mukwege is on the faculty of UEA's medical school. UEA faculty member Dr. Denis Mukwege Since that visit, in 2018, the founder of the Panzi Hospital, Dr. Denis Mukwege was awarded the Nobel Prize for his activism toward the abolishment of sexual violence as a weapon of war, and holding accountable those responsible for that violence. Within the context of an emphasis on human rights at the university, Dr. Mukwege has been a pioneer in gynecological repair surgery for victims of sexual violence and has brought worldwide attention to the call for accountability. New memorial fund in honor of Dr. Mohamed Kanji provides scholarships at Université Évangélique en Afrique (UEA) This fund has been established by contributors in memory of their classmate and friend Dr. Mohamed Kanji. Dr. Kanji spent part of his childhood in Bukavu, home of UEA, before relocating to Kinshasa where he attended The American School of Kinshasa (see TASOK named fund) and met lifelong friends. After high school, he continued his education at Tabor College and various universities in the US, where fellow scholars and friends came to know him as a passionate advocate of human rights. Dr. Kanji, an affable conversationalist Dr. Kanji's studies led him into rheumatology, bringing relief to many suffering from pain over the span of his career, while he and his wife Sorayyah raised two children—who also have become passionate advocates of human rights. We trust that Dr. Kanji would approve our contributions to help students learning within a context such as UEA where human rights are championed. It is in that spirit that we offer this UEA-focused fund for your consideration. Help to grow the UEA Kanji fund to provide more scholarships at UEA year after year To help more young Congolese attend UEA, please contribute to the UEA Kanji fund. The larger the fund, the larger the payout—so please help to keep it growing! Update as of 5/23/2025 The UEA Kanji fund has surpassed maturity of $25,000 and now totals $27,251! Update as of 7/7/2025 The UEA Kanji fund has reached $52,440! Click the button below to help build the Kanji scholarship fund for UEA students: You can also donate by check,   write "UEA Kanji Fund" on the memo line of the check and mail to Education Congo, PO Box 29, Lamar, CO  81052 USA. If you are taking distributions from your IRA,  consider making a direct donation from your account to Education Congo. The distribution amount that is paid directly to Education Congo would not be taxable to you and could save you some income tax dollars. Please talk to your financial and/or tax advisors on how to best make this kind of donation. (If you go this route, be sure to notify us with details.) info@educationcongo.org

Dr. N'Kwim presents a copy of his new book, The Impact of Leadership for the Transformation of Society , to Douglas Cardwell at Education Congo's 2025 annual board meeting, held in Philadelphia When we first met the new head of UPC in June 2024 in Kinshasa, Rector N'Kwim told us he is a great appreciator of the power of women. He lives in a household of women with his wife, also a PhD in Theology, and their four daughters. Highly accomplished daughters! The eldest graduated from UPC in Economics and works in Finance. The second, also a graduate of UPC, is an MD working in Epidemiology. The third is studying architecture in Canada. The fourth is currently enrolled at UPC in Economics. Dr. N'Kwim and his wife emphasized to their daughters from an early age the importance of studying hard and growing up to contribute to society and their nation. Later last year, at Education Congo's annual meeting in Denver, we videotaped Dr. N'Kwim talking about women at Université Protestante au Congo (UPC) and how they are contributing to building a stronger Congo. 56% of the 9,658 students at Université Protestante au Congo were women in 2024   If you would like to support scholarships for women at UPC, consider donating to one of Education Congo's named funds  designated for women: Sue Cardwell Fund —scholarships for women students from Bolenge Province or Equateur Province who are preparing for careers in teaching Sanichas IT Fund —for women computer science students at UPC

In response to strong demand, Université Protestante au Congo (UPC) established a computer science department in 2017—the Faculté des Sciences Informatiques (FASI). That first year over 300 students enrolled!  More women joining the ranks Every year, more and more women are applying. As of 2024, 30% of first-year students enrolled were women. Students hail from many different educational backgrounds—ranging from math and chemistry to teaching and literature.   2024 first-year FASI student More applicants than space available Last term, after culling from 700 applicants who took the entrance exam, FASI was only able to accept 396 new students due to lack of space. Unfortunately, lack of funds for tuition has subsequently forced 47 of first-year students to become “inactive.” If they can afford tuition next year or can get an Education Congo tuition scholarship, they will be able to re-enroll in the program. On average 10–15% of new students drop out due to financial pressures.  Highly motivated students Very few fail scholastically. The attrition rate lowers significantly as students advance in the program and can see a bright future at the end of the tunnel. As Prof. David Kutangila, Dean of FASI expressed, “They see a clear vision of the careers they will have upon completing their studies.” Jobs aplenty await graduates Employment is available from Congolese employers in telecommunications (Airtel, Vodacom and Orange), commercial banking (Rawbank and Equity) and government. FASI partners with many employers to place students in internships. Special events and programs also facilitate matching students with employers. FASI leadership and faculty FASI is well staffed with two full-time professors and 28 more professors pulled from other departments at UPC as well as from other universities in Kinshasa. Four of these professors are women.  The Dean of FASI, Prof. David Kutangila, received his PhD in Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Granada in Spain in 2005.  Outstanding investment in the future of the Congo A Congolese benefactor has funded the construction of a new building for FASI. When it is completed, it will provide much-needed classroom space for 1st and 2nd year students. More news to come Another small team from Education Congo visited UPC in June. Stay tuned for updates. Click to donate to scholarships designated for women in computer science at UPC: We are also happy to accept donations by check. Note “Sanichas Computer Science” on the memo line and mail to Education Congo, PO Box 29, Lamar CO 81052 USA. If you would like to start a new named fund with the designation of your choice, email info@educationcongo.org