There’s some exciting news: after India and Cuba, Altuofianco is now also taking action for Congo.
We are helping support a wonderful initiative to provide adequate food for many malnourished children in Isiro, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
This is not an “autonomous” ATF project, meaning it is managed by others; however, we really like it—it’s well-organized, very useful, and perfectly aligns with our mission 🙂 … and we hope you’ll like it too.
Where did this initiative come from?
Through mutual friends, we met Father Rinaldo Do, a Consolata missionary who has been in Congo for over thirty years.
We asked him about active aid projects in the area, and he told us about a variety of initiatives 🙂 : a care center for sick and/or malnourished children, support for hospital patients and prisoners, schools, wells, livestock farming, medical centers, assistance for students and their families, aid for those in need ... and who knows what else.
A lot is being done! 🙂 So we asked: which project needs the most help?
“We are desperate for help for GAJEN,” he replied. GAJEN is a center that, among other things, provides daily food and healthcare to around one hundred children.
GAJEN stands for “Support Group for Youth and Children in Need” (in French). It was founded by missionaries in a working-class neighborhood of Isiro in 1998 and serves as the base for many of the activities mentioned above.
What is done for the children each day?
• Identification of malnourished children.
• Daily reception, medical check-ups, and treatments.
• Distribution of two meals per day from Monday to Friday (one at the center and one to take home):
◦ The first meal consists of corn flour, soy, milk, and sugar.
◦ The second meal includes local legumes, eggs, poultry, fish, pork, and beef.
• Training and awareness programs for mothers on malnutrition, food education, hygiene, and vocational training.
GOAL AND NEEDS
You got it: the goal is to provide approximately 100 children with two meals a day, five days a week. The reward? If all goes well, they tell us, a malnourished child can recover within four months of daily meals.
There’s a lot to do, right? But the outlook is promising :).
Estimated costs:
• Two meals for one child per day: €1
• For 100 children per day: €100
• For 100 children for 22 days a month: €2,200
• A four-month cycle: €8,800
• Annually (three cycles = 300 children helped): Around €27,000

WHAT IS ALTUOFIANCO DOING?
Altuofianco provides a monthly contribution for the food program, which we hope to increase over time with your support.

SO… HELP US!
Would you like to contribute?
You can donate via a one-time bank transfer or set up a recurring donation (monthly, quarterly, etc.) in an amount that works for you.
Bank details:
Altuofianco OdV
IBAN: IT 11O0 6230 0162 6000 0152 60136
Reason for payment: “Congo Project”
Want to discuss it? Contact us here or privately.
Thank you for whatever you can do.

P.S. Want some information about the economic and social situation in Congo and the Isiro area?
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) ranks 180th out of 193 countries on the 2024 Multidimensional Poverty Index Report (compiled by the United Nations Development Program). Around 79% of the population lives below the poverty line.
The country’s illiteracy rate is approximately 23%, rising to 34% for women. Many families cannot afford to send their children to school.
In Isiro, the main source of income is subsistence farming, with crops such as cassava, maize, and rice.
Healthcare facilities are insufficient and poorly equipped. Common diseases include malaria, respiratory infections, and malnutrition, worsened by the lack of treatment options.
Even clean drinking water is a scarce resource.