In a dynamic series of events, the youth of Notre Dame de la Miséricorde Parish in Cimpunda, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), have taken bold steps to advance social entrepreneurship and community development in their parish. The first event, held on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, brought together young members of various “3 Zeros” clubs for a workshop aimed at reviewing and updating their projects following their return from Kinshasa, where they had presented their priority initiatives to the Parish Council. This followed a three-day training in Kinshasa on Social Entrepreneurship for Job Creation for a Self-Reliant Church, conducted by AJAN, CASE, and AgroMwinda in June 2024.

Focused on the core principles of social entrepreneurship, the workshop explored the structure and function of the “3 Zeros” clubs, featured interactive debates, and highlighted the ambitious “Cimpunda Vision 2030” initiative. This set of community development projects, spearheaded by Reverend Father Jean-Marie Bukasa Malu, aims to address the pressing needs of Cimpunda’s population.

Youth from neighboring parishes, including Saint Christophe of Kalonge, Saint Charles Lwanga of Ciriri, Holy Trinity of Buholo, and Holy Family of Bagira, participated in the workshop and shared their experiences. They gained valuable insights into the activities of their peers at Cimpunda Parish, with Jean-Pierre Balibuno from Kalonge Parish describing the experience as a “catalyst for social innovation, mindset transformation, and job creation initiatives.”

Father Bukasa encouraged the youth to adopt transformational leadership to benefit both the Church and the wider community. He emphasized the importance of addressing individual and collective behaviors to develop innovative solutions to society’s challenges. “With God, we will achieve great things,” he reassured them.

The momentum continued with a second major event on Tuesday, September 3, 2024. On this day, members of the “3 Zeros” clubs presented their innovative development projects to local leaders and officials from the CEVB (Commission for Evangelization and Basic Ecclesial Communities). Aligned with the Cimpunda Vision 2030, these projects aim to meet the essential needs of the community, promote sustainable development, and combat youth unemployment.

During this session, Father Bukasa once again took the opportunity to urge local leaders to embrace these youth-driven development innovations. He also appealed for the urgent rehabilitation of the main road, which poses a danger to the people of Cimpunda and surrounding areas.

The meeting was attended by prominent local figures, including the representative of the mayor of Kadutu, the president of the Kadutu communal council, the commander of the Kadutu police station, neighborhood chiefs, avenue leaders, and officials from 18 CEVBs connected to the parish. All participants expressed their eagerness to see these projects come to fruition and pledged their support at various levels.

This series of events marks an important step in empowering the youth of Cimpunda to lead transformative initiatives that will shape the future of their community, demonstrating the power of social entrepreneurship in fostering lasting change.

By, Christian Irenge
Notre Dame de la Miséricorde Parish, Cimpunda/Bukavu