DR Congo: Meeting and Listening to Communities, Key Focus of the Programmes Director’s Visit to Kwango
By Didier Nagifi, Communications Officer
From 8 to 11 July 2025, Patrick Saah, Integrated Programme Director for World Vision DRC, undertook a strategic visit to Kwango Province, accompanied by several staff members from the National Office and the Western Zone. The purpose of this mission was to assess the progress of ongoing projects, strengthen dialogue with partners, listen to community volunteers and beneficiaries, and identify the challenges to be addressed to sustainably improve the impact on children and their families.
The visit began at Pont Kwango, at the General Referral Hospital, where Dr Serge Kiosi welcomed World Vision’s support in the provision of equipment to combat Mpox. Through the moving testimony of Dieu, a woman living with a disability who received a wheelchair, the delegation witnessed the tangible impact of interventions on the ground. The day continued with a visit to a sponsored child’s family and a tree nursery supported by the FMNR project.
In Kenge, on 9 July, the delegation met with young people from the Youth Ready programme and visited a cassava field managed by parents of sponsored children. On this occasion, Patrick Saah stressed:
“The importance of a partnership based on mutual respect, transparency and accountability cannot be overstated.”
During a meeting with Community Development Committees (VDCs), several challenges were raised: poor mobility, delayed payments, and instability among monitored children. In response, Patrick Saah stated:
“Any proposed changes must be well justified. We will work together to find sustainable solutions.”
On 10 July, the CBT, Global Fund and Area Programme (AP) teams presented budgetary, logistical and contractual challenges. Patrick Saah commended their dedication and suggested practical solutions: the use of Starlink for connectivity, the adoption of suitable communication kits, and improved planning with the GAM team. A security debriefing was also recommended.
The mission continued in Bukangalonzo with an inspection of cassava fields, a community borehole, and a visit to the S4T Lonzo savings group, praised for its strong ownership of the Savings for Transformation approach.
At the end of the visit, Patrick Saah met with members of the Pont Kwango community, who are mobilised around the development of the Kwango AP. He congratulated them in these words:
“You are the architects of change. Thank you for your commitment to your community’s development. Together, we are building a better future.”
In conclusion, this visit made it possible to assess the tangible impacts of World Vision’s work in Kwango, strengthen relationships with local stakeholders, and identify adjustments needed for more effective implementation. Listening, dialogue, and the recognition of community efforts remain central to World Vision’s integrated approach in service of the most vulnerable children.