Pygmies   Wamba

Sisi Wambuti tuko!!!

March 15th, 2006

« WE TOO

PYGMIES EXIST »

 

 Here is the slogan and the purpose of our march in ISIRO, in April 21st, 2005: PYGMIES exist in R.D.CONGO!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Finally, Pygmies also have an OFFICE in WAMBA: referring point for all their activities of formation and Human Promotion in the entire Diocese.

 

In March 15th, 2006, in honour of Saint Daniel COMBONI, Apostle of Central Africa, the Bishop of the diocese of Wamba, Mgr Janvier KATAKA, cut the ribbon of the Inauguration of the new Office, in the presence of some civil Authorities, Priests, nuns and monks. Many Pygmies came from the surroundings of Wamba for this big great event!

 

 

The second aim of the celebration was to honour the group of young pygmies of the Boarding school of Bayenga, the pygmies’ seminarians of Lingondo: 15 + 1 in secondary school

(Pedagogical orientation) and the first girl “ pygmy” who joined our school (in class 1)

Additionally, we also honoured Abebeu François; a Pygmy boy who was the top scorer of class 3, he scored 68 %.

 

Among the people who attended the ceremony were: headmasters of Pygmies’ Primary schools of Wamba / Bagoya, Bayenga / Ango, Imbau and Ekango, Benga, Bapoa Mboma and the headmaster of Dodi Pygmies’ primary school (of Mungbere).

We, Pygmies want Peace and claim our Rights. We want to  keep our customs and values in the process of our insertion in the Congolese society so that we may not disappear. We are aware of what our Rights and Duties imply.

 

In honour of St Daniel COMBONI, Founder of the Comboni Missionaries and under his protection as Apostle of the Africans and of pygmies in particular, who are " the poorest and most abandoned : we start the activities in this Office, set up in order to help and serve Pygmies people.

 

In his speech, Mgr. Kataka called our attention on the aim of the new office. He insisted on the goal of the office, as being the Center of irradiation of the common pastoral wanted in the Diocese of Wamba in the service of Pygmies. The office team up our efforts to have a COMMON PLAN that can guarantee the continuity and success of all our missionary activities.

The meetings of the Diocesan committee and the meetings of the restraint council will be like the table where we put down all our initiatives, difficulties, and observations for the improvement of this service. It has to be a place of programming and realizing all the common goals that we decided to be pursued.

 

Mgr. invited everybody to be actively involved in these meetings and he also asked for a co- responsibility of all in this apostolate, which is a priority in our Diocese.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We indeed have 4.800 pupils’ pygmies in the Pygmies’ Primary schools, with 294 classes, and   we also have 2.700 Bantus children in our 23 schools. We want to build up brotherhood and mutual respect from the childhood,.

 

 

 

 

Recently the government boosted up our efforts with the "mechanization" of four Pygmies’ Schools, but we are still waiting for the improvement of  the other 19 schools and the  recognition of the rights of Pygmies, who are the minority but " founding citizens " of this Country!

THREE BOARDING SCHOOLS provides the human promotion of the pygmies’ pupils.

 

In MUNGBERE (since 1993) with hundred pupils in the boarding house. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In NDUYE (since 2003): with 83 pygmies of Elementary schools.

 

 

In BAYENGA (This the second year) with 15 Pygmies pupils of secondary schools (Educational Cycle).

 

For this year 2006/07 we are expecting around thirty pupils in the Secondary of the Boarding school of Bayenga. Soon we shall have the " first pygmies teachers " for their brothers!

 

 

We are thankful towards several NGO which help us realize these Projects, especially CORDAID, AMA, MISEREOR, KINDERMISSIONSWERK, MISSIO, MANOSUNIDAS, ECONOMIA ALTERNATIVA, OPAM and all our BENEFACTORS / GODFATHERS who accepted to pay the fees of some of our pygmies children, or help us in other activities for adults and in the health sector.

 

More…

 

  A SCHOOL OF LIFE

In WAMBA for young PYGMIES:

 

  HOW TO ASSURE a future for young Pygmies who have completed their Primary Education?

 

What do they have to do besides studying?   

 

We envisage having a SCHOOL OF LIFE where the young pygmies can acquire skills in order to help their brothers: for example:

First of all, the sanitary assistance and the education to the hygiene for women: as   nurses / or midwives.

Domestic activities: to learn to sew or to repair some dress

Manufacturing soap, mats, jars, beds …

 For the boys:

For boys:

· To Manufacture knives, arrows and tools of works of fields ·

·  And why not chairs / stools, doors,

· To repair bicycles 

· mechanic

· and other useful activities for pygmies in their particular environment.

 

We have now started the Boarding school in Mungbere … we want to begin another one in WAMBA or elsewhere; it depends on the awareness of Pygmies in the different Parishes of the Diocese.

  We entrust Pygmies and all our projects to the Providence, the Protector of the poorest and most abandoned.

 

 

 

  Thank you. Our warm greetings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

P. Franko Laudani

INAUGURATION 

OF THE WAMBA’S PYGMIES OFFICE (DRC)