Alexander Tennessee Olenga Disashi

Congolese war children is a crisis that continues to alarmingly grow, now facing the violent consequences of the Kivu conflicts and terrorism, dating as far back as 1998. This conflict had forced an estimated 400 000 children displaced from their home in 7 years, shared Amnesty International in their 2003 report. Meanwhile, another study published through Harvard University showcased that 30 000 children were taken or recruited and used as soldiers.

This region, amongst many in the DRC, experienced genocides, warfares and terror since the violent colonial rule of Belgium in the early 20th century. Amongst the devatasting consequences of the Belgian genocide of the congolese, the country met its first large-scale orphan crisis, one that remained unaddressed and poorly documented.
Over a century later, a study by UNICEF estimated in 2015 around 4.1 million orphans in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This devastating number has continued its growth through continuous wars, increasing disastrous weather conditions, extreme unsavory living and working conditions including diseases such as Ebola and AIDS, in addition to the violence, pregnancy, respiratory and financial issues behind the death of many congolese women, leaving behind an unceasing cycle of orphans.

ASOMIP CONGO
stands as one of the most crucial homes throughout the country, relentlessly looking after the lives of future generations, in a land that has yet to find peace from outer influences.
It was decided and built, independently, by incredible women who have dedicated their entire lives whilst receiving very little support beyond family and friends, progressively gaining local and international support : the French International Customs Officer Association (Association Internationale des Douaniers Francophones known as AIDF) made a donation to the orphanage and, on November 8 2024, the orphanage was officially inaugurated with the presence of members of the press and local government.

This orphanage’s task never ceases, bringing children up until they become adults and self-dependent, and given the option to look for suitable paths of work. UNICEF’s 2012 study accounted for 40 000 congolese children working in Katanga solely in Artisanal Small-scale Mining, digging through minerals and working around metals, in conditions which do not meet basic human’s rights, nor any sustainable and ethical standards and protocol institutionalised by global standards such as the UN, UNICEF and WTO. Additionally, many children come as a result of the critical minerals wars between Rwanda and the DRC.

By joining TraCerLab Group, and my brother Mr Olrick-Anselme Olenga Disashi, as Head of Marketing and Sustainability, I aim to provide safer, ethical and sustainable work spaces in ASM, in addition to communicate realities, improvements, the crucial transformations needed and undergoing within ASM in the Republic Democratic of Congo. I am also building projects and partnerships, including new impactful lines to support the orphans of ASOMIP Congo. I invite you to follow my work, TraCerLab Group and the orphanages of Kinshasa and Lubumbashi in the links below the picture.

For those of you who would like to donate to support ASOMIP Congo, please follow this link : every donation matters!

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