Bring Light to Our Missions in the Congo
Across much of Africa, the electrical grid is unreliable, broken, unsafe, or simply nonexistent. In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, years of instability and conflict have left entire regions without access to electricity. This means no electric lights, no refrigeration, no computers, and too often no reliable way to pump water.
For the Church, this is a daily challenge. How do you serve your people when even the most basic infrastructure cannot be trusted?
Today, our missionaries are seeking assistance to install solar power systems with battery backups at their parishes. Two of these communities, located in Kasongo and Kindu, are about 140 miles apart, yet they face the same daily reality.
Without electricity, the parish cannot be used at night. The sound system cannot be used for Mass, and even a simple electric fan is not possible. Life in the rectory is also difficult, with no running water, no refrigeration, no computers, and no reliable way to charge a phone.
“There is no hope that the electric grid will function in the future. Solar panels with battery backups are the only real way to provide basic power.”
Father Patrick Dwomoah Adu, M.Afr, St. Clement Parish, Kipaka, Democratic Republic of Congo
Our missionary at St. Clement Parish in Kipaka, Father Patrick Dwomoah Adu, M.Afr., shares that the region is marked by deep poverty, with limited access to education, healthcare, and basic infrastructure. The national electric company has not reached this part of the country, and there is no expectation that it will anytime soon.
For the people of Kipaka, solar power is not an upgrade. It is the only realistic way to have electricity. Without it, there is only darkness. While generators are sometimes used, they are costly and unreliable, making them an unsustainable solution.
To the north in Kindu, Father William Budotela, M.Afr., echoes the same reality: “There is no hope that the electric grid will function in the future. Solar panels with battery backups are the only real way to provide basic power.”
Your generosity will help provide solar panels, batteries, and the electrical work needed to create systems that will allow these parishes to serve their communities day and night. Reliable electricity allows our priests and brothers to worship, teach, communicate, refrigerate essential supplies, pump water, and serve their communities more effectively.
These projects are part of a growing effort to bring solar power to our missions. We are currently funding nine solar projects across Africa and expect that number to double in June.
Electricity transforms mission life. Help bring light and power to mission communities in the Congo.