Kivu Care serves the local community and churches in North Kivu, DR Congo by supporting individuals and families affected by ongoing trauma, mental health crises, substance addiction, and addressing stigma associated with mental health care.
Ways to support this ministry:
1. Trauma Healing & Mental Health – $12,400 for 12 months
Facilitating open conversation, community engagement, and education to promote mental health, grief and trauma care in churches, families, schools, and workplaces. We strive to break the cycles of taboo, stigma, rejection, and addiction. We also offer individual or group counseling, mental health conferences, and healing retreats primarily with Christian organizations in Goma.
2. Displaced Families Relief project – $15,000 for 12 months
This is our direct response to the physical needs of displaced children and families living in and around Goma. We provide food and clothing to the most vulnerable populations (children, pregnant women, and the elderly). Making sure children are the priority, food and clothing is always combined with recreational activities & trauma-informed play therapy activities for children.
3. Substance Addiction support groups – $10,000 for 12 months
This program encompasses various community education and sensitization programs, including peer support and conferences among individuals and families struggling with alcohol or drug addiction. Individuals are encouraged in their sobriety recovery journey, and families receive tools to better understand their loved ones who are struggling with substance addiction.
4. Detox and Rehab Clinic – $50,000 for initial startup
We are working toward establishing a high quality, yet accessible detoxification and rehabilitation program for individuals fighting substance abuse and addiction due to trauma in eastern DRC. In eastern DRC, very few options exist to help loved ones on a path of addiction recovery, this will be the first in the province, and it is desperately needed.
5. Operations – $12,500 for 12 months
Covering rent, utilities, and small salaries for a few full time employees, this enables us to have a space for meetings, provide counseling, and offer the above services and more, to churches and individuals in Goma and the region.
North Kivu is a rich mining province of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo affected by several armed conflicts making it one of the most unstable and dangerous regions in the world. The armed conflicts have persisted and worsened around the city of Goma causing over 1 million internally displaced people scattered around eastern DRC alone.
Trauma in this region has caused and continues to create many lasting issues including domestic violence, sexual gender-based violence, massive displacement of whole communities and villages, loss of income and investments causing major mental health crises such as trauma, depression, anxiety, suicide, and substance addiction.
We believe emotional and spiritual healing can lead to healthy families, communities, and therefore build a stronger church.
Noé and Bethany Kasali have been serving in eastern DRC since 2008 and with UWM since 2018. These project funds support parts of their ongoing ministry in the Congo.
Noe and Bethany Kasali
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