My Nonprofit Reviews

For almost 14 years, I have worked with Outreach International. This organization uses a participatory approach of organizing affected communities in solving their own issues, which is not observed in many organizations’ interventions. During my career in development with Outreach, I saw people find their smile, their hope, their confidence, and above all, a positive meaning to their existence and lives.

Outreach leads the poor to believe in their own ability to transform themselves and their environment, and helps them realize that they are the only ones to be at the center of their own success.

I would like to share the following experience from my own community where I work:

At the beginning of 2017, a borehole was financed, finalized, and equipped with a hand pump to provide residents with access to more water. Given the large number of individuals needing water, the pump failed to meet community needs due to the time required for pumping. The community analyzed the problem by itself and decided to sign an agreement with a solar pump supplier. Soon the solar pump will be installed to allow a large number of people to be served in record time. This demonstrates that communities are now able to analyze a problem and propose a solution without the intervention of outsiders, and is also a clear sign of their independence. With just the income from the installed pump, the community is paying for the realization of this project.
LUNDA KINE KINDA Abdon Michel

As one of the Human Development Facilitator based in Lubumbashi, DR Congo and assigned to the wide community of Kalebuka in the rural Southeast part of the city of Lubumbashi, I have the privilege of seeing first hand people’s lives transformed by the Participatory Human Development Process. You should see how proud they are to share their stories with visitors. Amongst them, maybe Phiri and Boni had the most tremendous change of their lives. Both are active members of local groups we organized in Kalebuka I and Kalebuka II. They are married and fathers of 7 and 5 children respectively. None completed his primary education.
Here is what Phiri said recently:
"Initially, when we started to get involved with Outreach International’s program, I thought that was as always, but things began to take shape for my life." Working on the project of clean water supply as a community, I had the opportunity to be trained in the repair of hand pumps with my friend Boni. I am now a craftsman repairer, with a certificate that proves that I can repair the hand pumps. At least Outreach International with its program gave me the opportunity to have qualifications. I was a mere hunter and casual farmer. Apart from the three hand pumps we receive from Outreach International that we maintain regularly, we receive more and more demands in addition, to repair many other hand pumps in our community and even in neighboring communities. I have started to feel that I am also being appreciated and valued as a worthy person, as compared to the time when I was without qualification. These people (Outreach International) came to help me develop; today I am also proud to help my community by repairing their hand pumps and by training others in the repair of pump. It is in this way that I participate also in the supply of clean drinking water to my community. Our training allowed us to have very good tools kits for the repair that many do not have.
Outreach International helped the two of us to have qualifications, with the possibility of getting employment in drilling companies.”
Lunda

More Feedback

As one of the Human Development Facilitator based in Lubumbashi, DR Congo and assigned to the wide community of Kalebuka in the rural Southeast part of the city of Lubumbashi, I have the privilege of seeing first hand people’s lives transformed by the Participatory Human Development Process. You should see how proud they are to share their stories with visitors. Amongst them, maybe Phiri and Boni had the most tremendous change of their lives. Both are active members of local groups we organized in Kalebuka I and Kalebuka II. They are married and fathers of 7 and 5 children respectively. None completed his primary education.



Here is what Phiri said recently:



"Initially, when we started to get involved with Outreach International’s program, I thought that was as always, but things began to take shape for my life." Working on the project of clean water supply as a community, I had the opportunity to be trained in the repair of hand pumps with my friend Boni. I am now a craftsman repairer, with a certificate that proves that I can repair the hand pumps. At least Outreach International with its program gave me the opportunity to have qualifications. I was a mere hunter and casual farmer. Apart from the three hand pumps we receive from Outreach International that we maintain regularly, we receive more and more demands in addition, to repair many other hand pumps in our community and even in neighboring communities. I have started to feel that I am also being appreciated and valued as a worthy person, as compared to the time when I was without qualification. These people (Outreach International) came to help me develop; today I am also proud to help my community by repairing their hand pumps and by training others in the repair of pump. It is in this way that I participate also in the supply of clean drinking water to my community. Our training allowed us to have very good tools kits for the repair that many do not have.



Outreach International helped the two of us to have qualifications, with the possibility of getting employment in drilling companies.”

Lunda

More Feedback