Development

PROLASA International is embarking on projects that are transforming the island’s socio-economic activities. For centuries the Idjwi dwellers have relied on subsistence farming to sustain their families. However, climate change and emergence of various plant diseases (mostly affecting bananas and cassava) have negatively affected the peasant farmers’ yields. As a result the majority people are left impoverished and unemployed. The worst affected by these changes are the Pygmy people. Their economic activities are primarily hunting and gathering, and with the depleting hunting grounds they are left without food and shelter. We have a  Training Centre for the Unoccupied Youth in DR Congo which is  in KALENGE in the grouping of BUGARULA, Chiefdom of RUBENGA, Island Territory of Idjwi; the centre serves to  sensitize the youth to gain skills in various  apprenticeship in various trades such as: carpentry, welding and / or fitting, small breeding, cutting and sewing, crafts, and many other trades.

We have worked with the UN Development Programme on two occasions — once in collaboration with the Government of Japan for the construction of a bridge in South Idjwi and we are currently working in collaboration with the UNDP and the Swiss Cooperation on our hydroelectricity generation project. A recent visit from the UNDP with delegates from 8 African countries along with delegates from the UN in Switzerland, France and the USA, reaffirmed the capacity of PROLASA to execute various projects. They visited the industrial campus of PROLASA where the hydroelectricity that we generate is used to operate the following industries: woodworking shop, water purification and bottling plant, fruit juice production and bottling, chicken hatchery, chicken husbandry, plants oils production, soap production, tilapia farming, etc. These projects are providing employment for members of the community, a market for various agricultural products and they are building some sustainable development on the Island of Idjwi.

To date we have established and built the following infrastructure: The  MUHETO,  MEMA health centres and the KATOYI 2 health post in the MASISI regions; The KASHEBERE Health Centre in the KIROTCHE; The PROLASA GOMA Hospital Centre in the Goma ; The Idjwi University Clinic in the Idjwi health zone; The buildings of the PROLASA Institute in Idjwi, the La Sagesse 2 Institute in MUGUNGA in the commune of KARISIMBI,and  the Kindergarten and  Primary School of PROLASA in the PATMOS Children’s Village.