Get Involved In Changing Lives Through Our Charity Programs

Since 2007, The City of Refuge International has been providing programs that help the less fortunate improve their way of life.

Programs

Get Involved In Changing Lives Through Our Charity Programs

Since 2007, The City of Refuge International has been providing programs that help the less fortunate improve their way of life.

Two children standing in the dirt with a bag.

Child Sponsorship

With your help we are providing care, education, and lifelong empowerment to orphaned children. Each child receives food, clothing, education, immunizations and mosquito nets, and general medical care. Our children live in permanent foster families and have regular contact with each other. Also, foster families currently participate in training seminars on a biannual basis. Our hope is to continue to expand the number of children under our care, and that is where your help is needed. Monthly sponsorship funds make a difference!

The Cost for monthly sponsorship is $70, or $35 for a half sponsorship.

Project 35

This program specifically targets children living on and/or soliciting food on the streets of Kamina. These vulnerable children go undernourished and are at high risk physically and emotionally. Through Project 35, we prepare delicious and nutritious meals three times a week to help decrease the incidence of malnourishment. You choose to get a sponsorship for $35 per month, but we also welcome higher pledges. You may also opt for a one-time donation of $100 and above.

Project 35

This program specifically targets children living on and/or soliciting food on the streets of Kamina. These vulnerable children go undernourished and are at high risk physically and emotionally. Through Project 35, we prepare delicious and nutritious meals three times a week to help decrease the incidence of malnourishment. You choose to get a sponsorship for $35 per month, but we also welcome higher pledges. You may also opt for a one-time donation of $100 and above.

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High School and College Scholarships

We are committed to providing children with access to education. Not only do we help them attend school, but we ensure that they will graduate with solid academic outcomes and commitments to social justice. Many of our college graduates are devoting their lives to service. By donating to our programs, you can be sure that they will get equitable access to quality education and plenty of opportunities for character development and community service.

What They Will Get in This Program

Each scholar will receive clothing, shoes, immunizations, uniforms, school tuition, and other fees. The funds that will be used in this program will come from generous donors and the recycling of cans and bottles in the Eugene or Springfield area. Thanks to these efforts, we have successfully sustained this program.

Help Through Our Cans and Bottles Collecting Program

You may bring your cans to Springfield Faith Center, 600 Hayden Bridge Way in Springfield, Oregon, on the first Sunday of each month between 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM. If you are interested in putting a can collection container at your business) or workplace, please contact us at (541) 501‑2850.

Support Our Scholarship Program

Let us work together to help the children of DRC. We suggest that you make a monthly donation of $50. You may also choose to make a one-time contribution for $100 and above.

Live Well: Water Well Program

The need for clean water is paramount throughout the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to the United Nations, half of Congo’s 80 million population have no access to safe drinking water. There have been deaths attributed to waterborne illness, including cholera, typhoid, and dysentery. At any given time, 1 in 5 children is sick with a deadly waterborne illness.

How Our Program Works

Through our “Live Well: Water Well Program”, the people of Congo will be provided with safe and accessible water. To date, we have installed a total of 61 water wells. Each well produces four cubic meters of water per well, equaling 4,000 liters of water daily. That’s enough for 2,000 people per day.

Take Part in Providing Clean Water

A donation of $2,135 is enough to cover the purchase, installation, and follow-up maintenance of a water well. The name of your choice will be inscribed on the well’s plaque to show appreciation and be grateful for your generosity.

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Malnourished Pregnant Women Program

In the city of Kamina, 7 out of 10 pregnant women are severely malnourished. The lack of adequate nutrients during pregnancy leads to a multitude of complications, including high rates of mother and infant mortality. To thwart the rising number of orphaned infants, our organization partners with the local pregnant women and women’s healthcare providers.

Why We Created This Project

A 30-day pilot project was conducted to show that women receiving food and prenatal vitamin and mineral supplements made dramatic gains in overall quality of health. 

Our Goal

We strive to partner with foundations, businesses, and individuals committed to women’s health and empowerment, and the prevention of orphaned infants. Please contact us today if you would like to be involved. You may donate $50 to us monthly or choose to have a one-time contribution amounting to at least $100.

Women’s Empowerment Program

Just like women in many developing countries, the women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo often carry a heavy burden. We are committed to empowering women by funding various grassroots and small business initiatives. Through this program, they will undergo job training and be provided with support on small business development.

How Our Program Helps

This allows female entrepreneurs to start their businesses by requesting items and funds. We have helped in launching small and retail operations of food, clothing, or other household goods, and alterations and textile shops. You will also become a part of a supportive entrepreneurial community to ensure your company’s sustainability over time. Join us in helping these people to have their source of income. You may opt to donate $50 per month or choose a one-time contribution for at least $150.

Emilie’s Tea

This is a bi-annual fundraising tea party in honor of an amazing woman, Emilie Kabamba Bulungo. She helped to establish the Women’s Empowerment Program for The City of Refuge International (CORI). Emilie put her well-honed sewing skills to use and taught many vulnerable girls in her community not only how to sew, but also how to start and run a business. Most importantly, she established herself as a mentor for them, mothering them through the difficulties of loss and the process of becoming women.

Emilie’s Tea proceeds fund Women’s Small Business Start-Ups, Vocational Training, Malnourished Pregnant Women Program, etc.

Women’s Empowerment Program

Just like women in many developing countries, the women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo often carry a heavy burden. We are committed to empowering women by funding various grassroots and small business initiatives. Through this program, they will undergo job training and be provided with support on small business development.

How Our Program Helps

This allows female entrepreneurs to start their businesses by requesting items and funds. We have helped in launching small and retail operations of food, clothing, or other household goods, and alterations and textile shops. You will also become a part of a supportive entrepreneurial community to ensure your company’s sustainability over time. Join us in helping these people to have their source of income. You may opt to donate $50 per month or choose a one-time contribution for at least $150.

Emilie’s Tea

This is a bi-annual fundraising tea party in honor of an amazing woman, Emilie Kabamba Bulungo. She helped to establish the Women’s Empowerment Program for The City of Refuge International (CORI). Emilie put her well-honed sewing skills to use and taught many vulnerable girls in her community not only how to sew, but also how to start and run a business. Most importantly, she established herself as a mentor for them, mothering them through the difficulties of loss and the process of becoming women.

Emilie’s Tea proceeds fund Women’s Small Business Start-Ups, Vocational Training, Malnourished Pregnant Women Program, etc.

Community Farming Program

Basic farming equipment is key to helping communities maximize their productivity. Through our Community Farming Program, we empower families to have enough for food for today and tomorrow. We’re fighting hunger by providing local communities with farming tools, seeds, and water. Aside from that, we train individuals on sustainable farming practices and advocate for safer communities. We have also opened a Public Agricultural Tool library where people can check out tools for free.

Lend a Helping Hand

 If you want to help in our community farming program, $35-$100 will be enough for the purchase of farming tools for a family. Also, if you choose to go for a monthly contribution, we suggest starting at $50. In case you choose to give a one-time donation, we accept at least $100. Donations will be used to cover ongoing maintenance and supply costs.

Livestock Development

Your donations will help us in purchasing goats (one female goat costs $78). These are given to pre-screened families in the community. In exchange, the families must give one offspring back to our organization within one year. This will then be passed on to other families. We thank those who have already contributed to this program. 

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Vocational Training

Carpentry Shop

Let us help the less fortunate in gaining skills that can help them. At our carpentry program, we will give them career training and constructive afterschool activities to enhance their entrepreneurial skills, teamwork, mentorship opportunities. Young boys who will attend the workshops will also learn woodworking skills such as planning, measuring, squaring and cutting a board, driving nails and screws, as well as using clamps and other basic carpentry tools. Eventually, all participants will know how to build and repair furniture pieces.

Make a Difference

Your donations will cover the ongoing maintenance and supply costs needed in this program. If you choose to go for a monthly contribution, we suggest starting at $50. In case you choose to give a one-time donation, we accept at least $100. Donations will be used to cover ongoing maintenance and supply costs.

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Sewing Shop

Most of the teenage girls under our Child Sponsorship Program come to the VET Sewing Shop after school to know how to sew. There are also women in the community who regularly attend our workshops to learn seamstress skills, and many have already sewn full outfits.

Make a Difference

As we have noticed that people wanted to learn how to sew, we created a program specially designed to teach them the dos and don’ts of this craft. You can support this project by donating funds for the purchase of additional sewing machines. Each manual sewing machine costs $222, while the electric sewing machines vary from $300 to $600. For more information regarding this matter, please give us a call at (541) 501‑2850.

People with Albinism Assistance Program

This program has been implemented to protect people with albinism from the effects of harmful sun rays, which leads to skin cancer. The City of Refuge International has been providing sunscreen lotions, lip balms, sunglasses, clothing, and other services for all people with Albinism to lessen the effects of the harmful sun rays that cause skin cancer.

Talk to Us

For additional information regarding our development programs, please get in touch with us today. We look forward to hearing from you soon.