Humanitarian Ministries

In conjunction with its radio ministries, LoAN is also seeking to extend healthcare, education, and development assistance in eastern Congo. Much of this ongoing work will be carried out through partnerships with organizations already in the field: NGOs, church associations and other civic groups. Projects include collaborating on educational programming to be broadcast on radio networks; contributing construction grants for the building of healthcare facilities; helping to equip healthcare clinics and hospitals; and ministering through appropriate healthcare and counseling to the unbelievable number of women in eastern Congo who have been victims of sexual violence at the hands of members of marauding armies and militias.

Rather than seeking to duplicate the efforts of other NGOs, which have their particular aims, Light of Africa Network seeks to assist others in achieving their goals. LoAN is also a manifestly Christian ministry whose core values are based on Christ's redeeming work on the cross. The media of radio is used by LoAN to advance humanitarian efforts, and in doing so to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We seek to make the Light in Light of Africa Network the same as what the Psalmist spoke of in saying, "The enterance of Your Words give Light" (Psalms 119:130); and the same as what Jesus himself spoke of when he said, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life" (John 8:12).

Some of the NGOs that LoAN is already working with include the following: Heal Africa; UNICEF; World Vision; World Relief; and ALARM.

Heal Africa

Heal Africa is a Christian medical center and teaching hospital in Goma whose mission is to care for the vulnerable through physical, spiritual and social healing. Directed by the highly-regarded Dr. Kasereka ("Jo") Lusi, M.D., who received his medical training in Kinshasa and completed orthopedic residency training in Belgium, the center has become a leading referral hospital in eastern Congo. The Heal Africa Center also offers four years of residency training in a variety of fields (from pediatrics to general surgery) to medical school graduates, with ten or more residents working at the hospital. There is also advanced training for other health professionals, and support for local social activists.

The potential for collaborative efforts with Heal Africa are great. LoAN has therefore entered into a partnership with Heal Africa. Working from a satellite media center at the Heal Africa Center in Goma, LoAN is committed to facilitating the recording of professional media material on healthcare related topics. Hospital staff members are able to work together with LoAN technicians in preparing programs addressing a wide spectrum of public health issues.

Early efforts in this regard demonstrate the potential in this working relationship. "Heal my People," is a program run in partnership with Heal Africa, as well as the International Rescue Committee, UNICEF, Christoffel Blindenmission, and Swiss Development Cooperation. An estimated one in every three women in eastern Congo has been raped. Heal my People provides medical and psycho-social support to over 2,000 victims of sexual violence in war-torn eastern Congo. Heal Africa's Learning Center is the only hospital in the region with specialists capable of performing fistula repair surgery (see below for more on this). With the help of Heal Africa's dynamic medical crew, LoAN has recorded and edited a series of programs on sexual violence.

The broadcasts LoAN collaborated in preparing explored the root causes that lead to such behavior, the consequences of rape, the treatment available at the Heal Africa hospital, and other aspects of the problem.

Additional programs being prepared address family counseling and pregnancy counseling for women with children born from rape, reintegration of female victims of violence into their community, empowerment of victims of rape through literacy programs, and income-generating activities recovering victims can engage in. The desired outcome is the reduction of the incidence of sexual violence and the treatment of the victims.

Global Strategies

Global Strategies' mission is to implement international efforts to prevent HIV infection by means of alliances with others who share a compassion for alleviating the suffering of women and children.

LoAN approached Global Strategies with an offer to augment their outreach through media. Impressed with the work LoAN is doing, Global Strategies gave to LoAN a $30,000 grant that is now available to translate radio broadcasts from English to French and Swahili, and then to record them and distribute them through LoAN's network of radio stations.

UNICEF

In November 2005, LoAN in collaboration with other entities helped UNICEF organize the Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. The Sixteen Days campaign, which originated from the Women's Global Leadership Institute, is used as an organizing strategy around the world to call for the elimination of all forms of violence against women by: raising awareness, strengthening local alliances against violence, and providing a forum for sharing new and effective strategies. LoAN put together a 40 second audio and video piece that was aired on all local media (radio and television).

UNICEF also organized a march against gender-based violence. LoAN helped in rallying a big group of non-profit organizations, churches, and influential personalities to join in marching together for the cause. Over 25,000 people participated in the march, converging on the "Stadium of Unity" in Goma, where local authorities and UN officials made speeches. LoAN's field coordinator was instrumental in preparing and leading the procession.

Also in partnership with UNICEF, Heal Africa, and others, LoAN participated in the creation of a coalition for at risk children. Two events were organized as a result of this new coalition. One was the gathering of over 2,000 orphan children for the commemoration of the World Orphan day. The children came from orphanages, schools, and specialized children's groups. They were given a meal, entertained with songs and dramas, and had a chance to play.

On another occasion, the coalition put together two days of reflection on the subject of "children accused of sorcery." Children are often accused of sorcery and severely punished or ostracized as a result. The first day of the meetings brought together civil leaders and a panel of lawyers, policeman, non-profit organization directors, and others who delivered speeches. The group was then broken down into workshops to work on remedies. The same model was used in a gathering of religious leaders. Representatives from the protestant church, the Muslim community, and the revival churches were present. These gatherings resulted in a strongly worded declaration highlighting the illegality of accusations of sorcery directed at children.

World Vision Following a series of meeting with World Vision staff members, LoAN has agreed to produce programming on peace and reconciliation. Most of these programs will feature a "peace and reconciliation officer" from World Vision. The officer has developed programs on the topic for several years. Those programs were previously aired on various media outlets. LoAN will assist in developing further programming and in the dissemination of prepared program materials.

World Relief

World Relief's mission is to work with churches in alleviating human suffering worldwide in the name of Christ. World Relief empowers, equips and strengthens churches to serve their communities, enabling them to act as beacons of hope to their people and to spread the message of the life-changing power of Jesus Christ. Church-centered, grassroots initiatives tackle entrenched and intertwined problems of poverty and accompanying despair — and people experience transformation in their lives, in their families, in their churches, and in their communities.

LoAN will join hands with World Relief in their efforts to partner with local churches. Taping into their existing network of local churches, LoAN hopes to develop programming that addresses the challenges facing the populations with a biblically based message.

ALARM (African Leadership and Reconciliation Ministries, Inc.)

Recent networking efforts have led our field coordinators to appreciate the work ALARM is doing in the region. These meetings have led both LoAN and ALARM to agree on developing programs on peace and reconciliation, and other relevant topics. ALARM has a track record in conflict resolution. Such experience could be turned into broadcasts and aired to a larger audience.

BiAC, CELTEL, and VODACOM have sponsored some events that LoAN, in collaboration with other organizations, put together. They have thus become partners for future events and activities that might require financial support.

Ministry to Victims of Sexual Violence

War, ethnic conflict and the greed of neighboring countries have turned the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo into an utterly lawless place. Systematic plundering by armed bands in towns and villages across the region has been frequent and appalling. As if those crimes weren't bad enough, the horror of rape is everywhere as well.

Acts of sexual violence have been without precedent in the frequency with which they are committed. The brutality and perversity of the manner in which rapes are planned and staged is hard to imagine. Women and girls are generally beaten during and after being raped. They are often abducted for weeks or even months and forced to perform chores for their abductors and submit to continuing sexual mistreatment.

All too often the rapists inflict severe injury on their victims during gang rapes, or by penetrating them with sticks or other objects, or by mutilating their genitals with knives or razor blades. Such cruelty results in a disfiguring injury called fistula when tears occur between the vagina and the urethra, rectum, or bladder. The women and girls are left with persisting pain, infection, debilitating incontinence, infertility and shame. Frequently the victims are even cast out of their home villages following their ordeals, adding to their humiliation.

These victims are in dire need of medical care, including several delicate surgical procedures to reconstruct their damaged vaginas. And it goes without saying that these sufferers who have endured such inhumane treatment at the hands of aggressors require proper psychological and spiritual attention.

Esther Ntoto of LoAN, working together with devoted counselors, healthcare workers and members of the local clergy, and collaborating with other organizations, such as UNICEF, Heal Africa, Heal My People, Global Strategies, and others, is working to address this pressing concern. Esther has made ministry to victims of sexual violence her primary concern. She works to provide spiritual mentoring to the victims during their period of rehabilitation from medical treatment. She is also active in helping these women and girls transition from a victim's mentality to a victor's attitude toward life. Offering them opportunities for learning skills and initiating small business enterprises is part of the program.

Esther has been instrumental in starting literacy classes for these women during their time in rehabilitation. She has also collaborated in a micro-enterprise initiative, providing small loans to help these women launch small businesses. These small financial credits allow the women to acquire consumer items like soap, fabrics, kerosene, etc., at wholesale prices. They in turn sell these items in nearby markets at a reasonable market value. The profits they make help them improve their current living conditions while building savings to get a fresh start when they return to their villages.

There are many ways to get involved in helping with this and other ministries LoAN is pursuing in the Kivu region of the Congo. Already, Esther has made it possible for caring women in the United States to build relationships with their suffering sisters in eastern Congo. Esther provides specific names of women recovering from sexual violence for women in America to correspond with. Those receiving letters in the Congo are often overjoyed to know their travails are not forgotten, that there are others far away who care about them.

This is just one way you can get involved in the work LoAN is doing in the Congo. Visit our "Get Involved" page to learn more about this and other opportunities for getting involved and supporting the efforts of LoAN.

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.

Isaiah 58: 6-8