Congo/ Education: Espace Opoko distributes school kits to indigenous children
The vast campaign to distribute school kits to indigenous children in Lékoumou, Nkéni-Alima and Sangha, launched by the non-governmental organization (NGO) Espace Opoko on September 29 to help them get a better start to the school year, came to an end last weekend in the department of Sangha.
For over three weeks, the NGO Espace Opoko criss-crossed the roads from the south to the north of the Congo, providing indigenous children with the tools they need to succeed at school. The aim of the campaign was to support 1,503 indigenous pupils, from primary school to university, in the departments of Lékoumou, Nkéni-Alima and Sangha.
Founded in 2012, Espace Opoko works for the education, dignity and social inclusion of indigenous peoples, long marginalized in access to school and basic services. Through this campaign, the organization intends not only to combat school dropout, but also to encourage families to send their children to school.
Alex Zambi, the NGO's communications officer and head of delegation, noted during the school kit distribution campaign that in some communities, children have only one notebook for the whole year, and only one item of clothing. So the NGO's mission was to restore their confidence and show them that they too have a right to the future.It should be pointed out, however, that beyond the simple distribution of supplies, the initiative is accompanied by comprehensive support programs: housing, nutrition, health and educational support for pupils displaced to urban centers. The NGO has also set up the country's first boarding school for indigenous high school students in Sibiti, capital of the Lékoumou department.This facility already accommodates several dozen indigenous pupils from various departments of the country.
In the field, Espace Opoko's teams were faced with an alarming reality: learning conditions were still precarious.In villages such as Obili, in the sub-prefecture of Zanaga (Lékoumou), or Bené Eniamé, in the department of Nkéni-Alima, for example, children study in mud buildings converted into classrooms, without desks or basic equipment. In Bambama, also in Lékoumou, a classroom wall is about to fall down, posing a huge risk to the children. Many of them have no civil status documents. This is why the president of this NGO, Averty Ndzoyi, stresses that in these conditions, the role of organizations like his own is vital. "To expand our action and help a greater number of people, we need the support of the government, embassies and international partners", says the president of Espace Opoko.
A call for national and international solidarity
Thanks to occasional support, notably from the "Kotonga" program of the French Embassy in Congo, Espace Opoko has been able to guarantee a school kit for 926 indigenous children in the Lékoumou region, including 472 additional pupils integrated this year as a result of this partnership. The organization now hopes to extend its collaboration to other departments. "We are calling on all public, private, national and international players to support us. Every donation, every logistical support, every collaboration counts. The education of indigenous children is the education of the entire Congo", said Averty Ndzoyi.
The NGO Espace Opoko has a sustainable vision for a more equitable Congo. It is preparing a sewing training program for young indigenous women, with a view to launching, in the near future, a school uniform production unit for indigenous pupils. She also wants to build community education centers, promote vocational training for young indigenous people, and encourage women's participation in educational and economic activities.
The organization chaired by Averty Ndzoyi points out that article 35 of law n°5-2011 of February 25, 2011, on the promotion and protection of the rights of the indigenous population, guarantees them equitable access to education.By taking action in the field, Espace Opoko is helping to bring this law to life.
Source: www.adiac-congo.com
