Kinshasa,September 20th.Travel Notes.
By Renaud Louis de Clermont Tonnerre.

20th of September  2009
In Kinshasa I can receive and send emails with my blackberry:the progess has not stopped.
I will return to France Sunday the 27th after one week of intense visiting to the schools and to the hospitals with which Harambee collaborates.I am fascinated by the vitality and the richness of expression of people in French.Today we visited Kinshasa which,has almost 10 million inhabitants is the second french speaking city. It is a city without interest except the long river in the neighbourhood near the Ambassadors' residence.From there you can see a wonderful view over Brazzaville.You have the impression that the two capitals are twins,like Buda and Pest in as much as the river is not very wide at this

point and you can see the windows of the house on the other side.  
 
22 September 2009
Yesterday we visted the Monkole Hospital with Dr Tshilolo. Then we had a reunion with Yannick Vincendeau and Loius Imwa who are in charge of administration.We had information about the project of training in Monkole that will house 150 beds,today it has 45 beds.The new building is being built and will be finished within 2010 but it still needs 10 million euros.We saw the building site,they will need help from the North so that Monkole can have a factory of Medical Oxygen,as none exists in the Congo.
Now they use Industrial Oxygen –which is not ideal-and was produced before the Independence.Yesterday afternoon we visited Monkole 3 which offers care and help to the patients affected by Aids.We were able to speak with the patients.they are extraordinary for their morale and human richness,and that is due to the medical team of Monkole.
Later we visited ISSY ,the nursing school next to Monkole that offers courses that last 3 years and every year they have about 30 graduates.Naturally on the other side of the road there is a residence which guests 30 students.This morning we visited the new school managed by Isabelle Barbarin.It is called “Liciba” and it was opened 15 years ago with one class high school of twenty students.We interviewed Dr Tshilolo who explained the characteristics of

drepanocitosi.This morning, visit to Monkole 2 which has the Clinic and the operation block which does miracles.Despite everything.
 
24th September 2009
Here is the account of our visit yesterday.
We visited 2”rural antennas” from Monkole situated on the outskirts of Kinshasa.
The First,Moluka,is made of a dispensary to cure the sick and to do vaccinations.For the most serious cases there is an ambulance to bring them to hospital.

Each antenna has a little laboratory for the most simple analysis and a pharmacy. There is always a doctor.The antenna of Moluka is in the centre of reference for a zone that has 14,000 inhabitants and work in collaboration with other care centres,receiving from these patients that could not be treated by the first doctors. In Moluka there is also a social antenna which forms young women up to 30 years old.To read,write in French or else a skill that will help them support their families.These lessons take place in the morning,while in the afternoon they form the mothers following a three year programme.We had the chance to speak with about 20 mothers who amazed us by their ability to speak and read and write correctly n French after only three years. 
After we went to Eliba,the second antenna.To get there it takes a quarter of an hour off road,it goes trough a cultivated valley and there is a hill on the other side.During the journey I was amazed at the quality of the agricultural work.we admired the struggle of work to prepare the land for the next seed that will come and the harvest.CEPROSEM trained them.
Finally we arrived at Eliba.Here there is only one medical antenna.They lack water,during the dry season the water reserve is unsufficient for the cleaning and the drinking water is transported on the head of people.They lack electricity.There is only a solar generator to feed the fridge where the vaccines are conserved.Eliba is the centre of reference for a zone of 20,000 inhabitants. When there is an emergency they need to transport the person to the main road

where the ambulance is.This is what happened recently with a woman who had an internal hemorrage,she was transported to Monkole in time and now is safe and well.
 
25th of September 2009
Yesterday we began the day with a visit to CEPROSEM,the centre of seeds production. This centre opened in 2005 and it is the only producer of certified seeds,the commercialization of which allows people to improve their own quality of life and also to protect their own things apart from a sure source.  

CEPROSEM is a development project in collaboration with ICU –AN Italian NGO- which assures also some agricultural formation.Allowing people, thanks to the program of microcredit, to buy the instruments and the necessary elements.The credit is then paid back after the harvest. Another project supports the sale of products ,facilitating access to the market.
Later on we went to Kimbodo,the third social- medical antenna in Monkole situated next to CEPROSEM. Technical courses are held in the morning for 170 students who follow a course for three years.The students then follow with a period in a hotel or other business. In the afternoon we saw the girls' school in Obindo. There are 13 students at the moment.Schools represent a priority for the region. 
The director of the school, we had a dinner together,told us about the Malaria,endemic in these parts, which is devastating for the babies under 5 years.

Monkole and its antennas are involved in a raising awareness campaign adressed to the mothers for the practise of simple measures of precaution like the fight against stagnant water and the distribution of pesticides given freely by Monkole. According to some statisitcs, Malaria could be killing up to 1 million babies a year.Poor Africa with  the Malaria which kills children and Aids their parents.Leaving thousands of babies orphans.Luckily African solidarity is fantastic,but is it enough?
This morning,after buying some things at the market,we visited two hsopital centres,one private and the other public.So much misery!Even if the personnel are very devoted.That is it,our journey finishes here,the « mudele »("white" in Ingala) go home tomorrow.