Ending Extreme Poverty in the Congo

Meet Rev. Bope

I met Rev. Bope back in 1997.  He was part of a delegation from Congo to central Indiana.

Today, Rev. Bope is 12 year older and is in bad health.  He is not pastoring anymore.  He has no Social Secrurity or retirement.  He has no Medicare or free medical coverage.

That's the life of older people living in poverty. 

Dealerships Needed

Empty Showrooms!  Closed For Years!  I am talking car dealerships in Kananga, DR Congo.

They say money can't buy you everything.  Money can't buy you a car in Kananga.

Motorized transportation is necessary for breaking the cycle of poverty.

 

Transportation Needed to Break the Cycle of Poverty

The Basic Utility Vehicle (BUV) is needed in the Congo.  It is a simple vehicle.  It is a inexpensive.  But it has many of the capabilities of a small pickup truck.

Congo produces nothing.  Bicycles are imported.  Motorbikes are imported. Late model cars are imported from other countries.  But it needs everything.

Vehicles are needed to move agricultural products to market.  Production of vehicles would jobs to the poor.  The BUV would help break the cycle of poverty.

Also, the BUV would provide needed transportation for hospitals.

Commuting in Congo is Anything But Common

The typical urban commuter travels by taxi to and from work.  Buses and other mass transit means are not  unavailable.

So what is a Congolese taxi like?  It is a late model car.  They are typically the compact variety.  The mechanical worthiness of these vehicles are questionable.  Flat tires are common. Engine overheating and extreme smoking is more common.  Therefore, car breakdowns are everywhere.

Surprisely, traffic accident are not more common.  However, accidents are deadly.

A Cracked Windshield Is Better Than ...

Congo has some of the worst roads in the Africa.  So you can imagine what the vehicles must be look.

In rural Congo, the life of a new four-wheeled vehicle such as the Toyota Landcruiser is about 4-6 years.  The road are a challenge.  The lack of and the high cost of spare parts ensure a complete and quick death.

A cracked windshield is a dent on your bumper.  You are glad it was the windshield and not you.  Some vehicles do not have windshields.

 

(Photo: Linda Allen)

Mr. Scott, Put Her In A Stationary Orbit Over Congo

I loved the Star Trek TV Series!  After the flip phones came out, I could not wait to get one.  And I will admit it that I tried to call the Enterprise.  However, I wish now that someone would create a "transporter".

Transportation is a BIG Problem in Congo.  There is no such thing as public transportation.  Sadly, transportation is non-existent in rural Congo.  You have to catch anything moving faster than a slow walk. 

It is only 150 miles from Mweka to Kananga.  Congo Helping Hands' congolese project officer, Justin, is traveling to Kananga.  I got a SMS message from him yesterday.  Justin is taking a motorbike to Kananga.

"I stayed about a week at Mweka looking for transportation. I found a guy today with a moto going to Kananga he took me and we are spending night at Benaleka about 130 miles from Kananga. We hope to arrive Kananga tomorrow before 10. Thank you. Justin."

Justin and I accompanied the Dr Anton on a trip by motorbike to visit health centers in the outback rural country.  I can just imagine Justin going to Kananga.  Here's a video from our trip and Justin's motorbike.  Justin is in the blue shirt at the end.

  

LOOK: Using The Flip Video Camera On The Road

If you fall off the back of a motorbike, it could be fatal.  Mainly because you are traveling in such a remote area of Congo.  It did not matter that I was traveling with a doctor.

Finally, I risked it all.  I decided to take some video while we were traveling over a relatively smooth surface.  However, I forgot that the motorbikes really speed up on this stretch of the road. 

I was able to capture a short video.  Actually, the driver blowing the horn and walking women in the road was enough for me!