Simba

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Simba's Community News

Thanks to the generous support of Canadians, we’ve started work to improve the well-being of children and families in this community. These are a few of the areas we will focus on this next year:

The rural community of Simba is home to almost 40,000 people, 24,000 of whom are children. Families often face natural disasters, including windstorms and heavy rains. Many homes and public buildings --including schools-- are destroyed due to harsh weather and poor construction. Some areas of Simba also struggle with soil erosion, which damages crops and limits food production.

Most families here used to earn income at mining and brewery companies. When these closed, many in the community were left unemployed. Parents cannot afford to provide for their families' basic needs, and youth will often leave school to work as artisanal miners to support their families. Children's wellbeing is also threatened by issues including unsafe drinking water, unhygienic sanitation practices, and limited knowledge of their rights.

Child Protection

1 child parliament is empowering young people to advocate for their rights and participate in community decisions
112 people learned how to work with local authorities and influence decisions to improve services and child well-being
12 community members learned about child rights and protection issues to help ensure children's safety and participation
2,050 children received birth certificates, ensuring their access to basic rights and services like health and schooling

Education

1 school received classroom tools and resources to create a safer and stimulating learning environment for students
123 children are getting extra help to improve their reading and writing through camps and classes

Emergency

51 people are better equipped to protect themselves from disasters and respond to emergencies

Health

12 malnourished children were enrolled in nutritional programs and monitored to ensure they are growing healthy
12 malnourished have reached a healthier weight after participating in a nutrition program
500 parents learned about proper feeding practices and how to keep their children well nourished
502 children were vaccinated to protect them against preventable diseases
94 health workers were trained to provide quality health services, especially for women and children

Livelihood

150 people were trained on practices to preserve and manage the environment and its resources
216 people received vocational, business and finance training, improving their opportunities to earn a steady income
220 farmers received livestock, seeds or tools to improve productivity and help meet their family needs
232 farmers learned techniques to improve crop and livestock production to better provide for their children and families
605 people are part of savings groups, helping them meet their financial needs and access small loans

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene

1 committee is managing water supply systems and promoting sanitary behaviours to ensure long term access to clean water
3 new water sources are providing access to safe water, protecting children against waterborne diseases
5,000 people have safe water for drinking and cooking thanks to improved water sources
8,271 people learned about the importance of water safety, proper sanitation and hygiene to stay healthy

*Results reported for projects in this country from October 2018 to September 2019

Health Care
With the partnership of Canadian sponsors and the community, World Vision will work to:

Ensure children and mothers are protected against diseases, malnourishment, and chronic illnesses.

Water and Sanitation
In partnership with families and sponsors, World Vision will work with the community to:

Increase families access to clean and safe water.
Train leaders on how to prevent waterborne diseases and promote good hygiene practices. Improve sanitation in homes and schools.
Promote good community-based water management systems and advocate for more government support.

Child Protection
To ensure children and youth enjoy a safe and protected environment, World Vision will work to:

Disengage children from child labour, support them through rehabilitation, and promote child rights.
Increase the number of children and youth who have birth registration documents.
Improve school buildings and train teachers on methods that will effectively retain and educate students.

Economic Development
To ensure parents in Simba can provide for their families, World Vision will partner with the community to:

Empower families to create and locate alternative sources of income.
Provide farming and agricultural training for unemployed community members.
Improve farmers' resilience to natural and man-made disasters.
Educate parents on the benefits of savings groups and how to better advocate on behalf of community needs.

Stories for You

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Child soldier: Agnes' story

Explore Simba

current conditions

To protect the privacy of children, this map shows only the general area of the community, not the exact location.

The needs in Simba

Sponsor a child in Democratic Republic of Congo

Health Care
Poverty affects the health of the children and families in Simba. Many children suffer from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea, or HIV & AIDS. New and pregnant mothers also lack opportunities for and access to proper care.

Water and Sanitation
Families in Simba struggle to access clean and safe drinking water. Many homes are far away from wells, and women must wake up extremely early to line up for water. The time spent traveling and waiting robs many mothers of opportunities to earn income or take care of their children.

Many of the natural water sources in the community are actually dirty. However, families must use it in household chores and to water their gardens. The government takes little ownership over expanding the number of water points or improving existing wells and boreholes. There is no organized water management committee in Simba, and the absence of leadership also guarantees that access does not improve.

Child Protection
Many households in Simba struggle with low income due to unemployment or poor wages. Their economic status often makes it hard for parents to provide for their family's basic needs, so children have to drop out of school to work in local mines. Unaffordable fees also stop children from continuing their education.

Most of the community knows little about child rights, including essentials like birth registration. Laws that protect children aren't promoted, and as such children are subjected to hard labour, including selling on the street and artisanal mining.

Economic Development
Most parents in Simba are jobless and struggle to afford basic education and medical care for their children. The collapse of key mining and brewing companies left the majority of the community unemployed and without benefits. Overall, the absence of these corporations has lowered living standards.

Community members lack training to successfully implement new income-generating activities, including growing crops and raising livestock. This impacts their ability to prevent and respond to soil erosion. Many farmers would also benefit from learning how to appeal to local governments for better access to land, financial loans and other support.

Life cycle of a sponsorship community

Simba, is in Phase 1

PHASE 1: Building the foundation

With local leaders, we assess the community's needs and resources, plan projects to provide long term solutions. Sponsorship and development opportunities begin.