2021 ANNUAL REPORT
As I reflect on the 2021 year, my heart is filled with gratitude for the overwhelming support during our inaugural year. I am also reminded of the power of grace and compassion and their transformative impact on individuals and communities. This year, we directly impacted the lives of over 4,000 people in the Gemena region of Congo. The reality is that our current success results from individual decisions and actions that started nearly two decades ago.
During the Congolese armed conflict, my mother, Sabuli Sanguma, was forced to navigate the horrid realities of war while taking care of her five children. After escaping the war and finding refuge in the United States, she decided to leave my siblings and me where we had a better chance of opportunity and return to the war-torn country to support my father, Mossai Sanguma, with his reconciliation work through the church. Seeing the grace she received from people who provided her children with opportunities, Sabuli understood the power of humanity. First, she decided to take care of an abandoned infant left for dead at a nearby cemetery; then, she began to welcome and build a community with orphaned or abandoned children that would come to her asking for help. Sabuli’s actions led to the creation of the Sabuli’s Children Center, something that she never envisioned but resulted from her compassionate actions. This work led to the creation of CongoVoice, an organization of compassionate individuals that dedicated their time, energy, and resources to advance the work happening in Congo. Because of the dedication and ongoing support of CongoVoice, as well as communities including Moraga Valley Presbyterian Church and Peninsula Covenant Church, Lobiko has a solid foundation in which to continue this remarkable work and we are honored.
I share this story because the transformative work in Congo did not come from one individual or one single action. The work started because individuals — such as Sabuli and families that decided to take care of Sabuli’s children in the States — saw a need and graciously chose to support it. People coming together to use their unique gifts and abilities to help each other is essential for transformation. As we continue the legacy of individuals and communities that came before us, we have so much to celebrate, and at the same time, we know that our collective work is far from over. Whether you are a prayer warrior, an expert in a field (e.g., engineer, medicine, etc.), a community organizer, or an individual who wants to leverage their financial resources, we welcome your partnership and support. I know the power of communities when they come together to lift each other; I hope you will walk alongside us as we continue to create conditions that enable our most vulnerable population the opportunity to live a life of well-being and purpose.
As we enter 2022, we are committed to working side by side with The Sanguma Foundation to promote dignity and hope by serving the most vulnerable children with a safe home and loving care; equip a generation of leaders through high-quality education; provide access to quality, affordable, and comprehensive medical care to community members furthest from equitable opportunity; and cultivate economic development through vocational training to promote social mobility. We are also committed to listening to our partners’ needs and challenges, supporting them as they strategically and creatively develop solutions to address those challenges, and serving as a bridge between the transformative work in Congo and the communities of support in the United States and Canada.
As we carry forth our work into the new year, I am grounded by this Congolese proverb, “Lokendo losa lokobandaka la sinyosinyo,” or “the journey of 100km begins by one step”.
With Gratitude,
Wilita Sanguma, Executive Director