Claudaline was one half of a formidable couple until her beloved husband Bishop Desire passed away suddenly two years ago. They worked together to positively impact many people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Despite the difficulties of being a widow, Claudaline continues to build the legacy she and Desire formed by passionately serving impoverished women with sustainable development projects. Her latest report shows that the activities funded by SowHope over the past year impacted more than 350 women.
The economic project formed groups of women to farm together. They rented land, purchased seeds and farming implements, and distributed animals to women in four areas of eastern DRC. The farming was so successful that the women scrambled to figure out what to do with all the excess food they harvested! The surplus also caused a drop in agricultural product prices. They decided they will need to build a warehouse to store the food, which will allow them to sell the product little by little and retain profitable earnings over a longer period. The women reported that they used the money they made to build houses, educate children, buy small plots of land, and purchase sewing machines. One group even donated money to buy musical instruments and choir robes for their local church.
For the wellness project, a doctor and a nurse provided basic medical services to the groups for the women who needed them. Most people in the developing world never have the opportunity to see a doctor even once in their lifetime.
Claudaline also offered trainings in female self-empowerment, involvement of women in the electoral process (even as candidates!), and in protecting the environment by planting trees. After the conference, some of the women planted trees in a public place. The local chief wrote, “Thank you to Claudaline and SowHope for ALL the benefits to our community that your projects have produced.”