Update from Congo DRC : October 2026

Our SewAid workshop in Goma , Congo DRC, recently had a boast in productivity, with the arrival of three  new industrial machines.

This workshop run by Penny Vos’s “Schoolkits for Congo” is producing these beautiful school bags which are given to school children who would not be attending school except for the gift of this new bag. Each bag contains all  the books and school requisite they need, – plus their new school uniform. And Penny sometimes pays their school fees as well.

Productively  has increased significantly now that we have boosted the sewing equipment to four high speed industrial sewing machines and one new industrial overlocker. And because it is too dangerous to send any teachers to Goma , which is now controlled by rebels, we were able to pay a local teacher to instruct the sewers on the use of these new hi-speed machines.

We purchased the new “Jack” brand machines in Rwanda and with the help of Alphonse (Penny’s on site manager), we fortunately negotiated  the machines across the Rwanda-Congo border without loss. On a previous crossing  the machines were stolen at the border.

In addition, Simon Castley, and the Rotary Club of Kowloon Holden Mile in Hong Kong , successfully shipped  from China 1,000 sets of the all the books, pens ,pencils etc – and all the fabric for the bags and the uniforms.

Click on the photos to enlarge.