A Day of Hope, Healing, and Growth in the Village !!
Today, Dr. Chico gathered eight of our village’s widows for a comforting and important meeting. As tradition, Mama Malongisa opened the gathering with a heartfelt prayer, setting a tone of unity and faith for all of us.
Dr. Chico then addressed the pressing health concerns among the women. A few had fallen ill and were promptly attended to—Dr. Chico arranged for them to receive prescription medication. The most common challenges they face, beyond food and housing insecurity, include malaria, conjunctivitis, fevers, and diarrhea—largely due to the lack of clean, accessible water. Having Dr. Chico and our local clinic right here in the village makes a world of difference. It means medical care is within reach—without long, difficult travel to distant facilities.
Next, our conversation turned to strengthening the village’s financial resilience. A promising idea emerged: expanding our vegetable garden. By planting fast-growing staples such as dongo-dongo (okra), pili pili (chili peppers), ngai ngai (roselle leaves), spinach, and matembele (sweet potato leaves), we could harvest within months and sell produce either at our local market or in the village store.
This project could begin by the end of the month, once it is approved by our board. Papa Fontaine has already shown the widows the piece of land where the new garden will be established. Many of our widows already travel to the village to help in the fields with weeding and harvesting crops such as cassava, and they have committed to tending this new garden with the same dedication. Their hands and hearts will nurture these seeds into both food and income for the community.
Looking ahead, we are also preparing for our first cassava root (Manioc) harvest at the end of September. This milestone marks another step forward in our journey toward sustainability, food security, and empowerment for widows and families in Bagungi. Even more exciting, members of Team Canada will be joining us during this time—working side by side with our widows in the harvest and helping push forward the completion of the village clinic.
As we continue moving forward, we are always in need of support. We welcome donations of medical supplies or financial aid to help us purchase local medical supplies and medications. Every contribution goes directly toward providing urgent care, healing, and hope to those who need it most.
Together, step by step, we are building health, hope, and a sustainable future for Bagungi.
