Bana Mayele is an educational and care centre located in the Kimbondo district in the Mont-Ngafula hills of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was established in July 2020 as an initiative aimed at creating a safe environment for abandoned children living in extreme poverty, with an emphasis on education, development, and preparation for independent living. The centre strives to provide children with the most "homelike" environment possible – complete with dormitories, classrooms, a kitchen, and common spaces. Practical education also plays a significant role in the plans and activities: teaching skills that can help them find jobs and support themselves in the future.

The project is led by Madlen Petersen, who has dedicated her life for 20 years to caring for children in Kimbondo, where, as described by the non-profit organisation Sponsorship Network International, hundreds of orphaned children live, often struggling with disease and malnutrition.

Why is such assistance so necessary today?

The situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains extremely difficult: conflict, forced displacement, poverty, and health crises overlap. According to a UNICEF report from the end of 2024, 25.4 million people in the country require humanitarian assistance, including 14.9 million children, and over 3 million new displacements were recorded in 2024 alone.

In addition, there's the scale of poverty: in its latest "Poverty & Equity Brief," the World Bank indicates, among other things, that despite periods of economic growth, poverty remains widespread, and The country is also facing mass displacement related to violence (including over 7 million internally displaced people by mid-2024).

In such a reality, every investment in children's daily lives—education, care, but also safe play -is particularly important.

We hope that our swing will serve children for as long as possible and bring themjoy in their daily lives.