2021 Lenten Snapshots

During the 2021 Lenten season, we’ll share the work of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur from around the world. We hope you in turn will share their work with your family, friends, students and faculty. If you are interested in the Lenten Handout, please click here. Click here for the Lenten prayer card.

LENTEN SNAPSHOT #5

In 2020, in spite of the pandemic, substantial work was completed on several sites in the Democratic Republic of Congo — in Ngidinga and Kinwenza:

As with many of the sites, the old wiring in Ngidinga is a source of many electrical problems in the photovoltaic system.  Our Congolese electrical contractor dealt with two issues including replacing a water pump and dealing with electrical faults that caused the system to trip off line.  Plans are in progress this year to do further work at Ngidinga to deal with the old wiring to improve reliability and to allow the site to operate as two separate electrical systems. 

Several smaller photovoltaic systems were installed at Kimwenza by subcontractors and experienced a variety of problems in 2020.  Sister Dorothée worked with a specialty contractor based in the capital of Kinshasa to successfully address and correct a number of these problems.

No work was performed in 2020 at either Intenga or Kinsaku but discussions are in progress to equip Intenga with future photovoltaic and water systems and to provide Kinsaku with a water system in 2021. Intenga may also be the first site chosen for a demonstration on-line classroom.

Contractors work on the photovoltaic system at Ngidinga

Contractors work on the photovoltaic system at Ngidinga

Children being cared for by the Sisters at Ngidinga

Children being cared for by the Sisters at Ngidinga

Water supply at Kinsaku

Water supply at Kinsaku