From participation in GIMI's Project Management programme to the renovation of a large school complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo

There is no greater satisfaction for 'Team GIMI' than receiving graduates' testimonies of professional success, after attending our programmes and implementing new ideas, once back home.

Here is the story of Mr. Patrice Wembolenga from Management Science for Health Organisations (MSH) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mr. Wembolenga and several of his MSH colleagues attended GIMI's Project Management Programme in June 2016.

Very inspired by his experience at GIMI and thanks to tools acquired during the programme, Mr. Wembolenga, upon his return to DRC, began a long-term project, close to his heart: The renovation of a school complex in Lodja City, Sankuru Province, DRC.

He told us: "It is thanks to the training received at GIMI that I managed to make this project a success. The tools I acquired during the programme in terms of design, financial management, human resources and especially in terms of long-term vision were extremely valuable and accompanied me throughout the implementation of the school complex EL LION”.

Mr. Wembolenga explained: "The objective was to meet the educational needs of the children of the region in order to contribute to the sustainable development of Sankuru. The first objective was to reduce the geographical inaccessibility of these children (between 7 and 15 km), with a twofold positive consequence: The reduction of sexual violence against girls forced to travel long distances to school and the reduction of traffic accidents for children during long journeys to be made on foot due to lack of means. The second objective was to improve the quality of education in the region, through the recruitment of qualified personnel and appropriate infrastructure”.

The project presented many challenges. As the main project manager, Mr. Wembolenga's mission was to plan the construction and operation of the school complex and find financing for the construction of the classrooms, offices, equipment and materials. He was also responsible for recruitment, staff training and for drafting the entire project for state and non-state financing.

Throughout these stages Mr. Wembolenga was in contact with GIMI personnel, keeping us updated of progress, as in this photo sent in summer 2017, just before the inauguration of the renovated school complex:

The renovated EL LION school complex was officially inaugurated on 4 September 2017, barely a year after Mr. Wembolenga attended GIMI's Project Management Programme.

Today El Lion is a thriving school complex, welcoming more than 700 primary and secondary school students. Emphasis has been placed on recruiting and training high quality staff.

At the behest of parents and the community, a facility for children aged 3 to 5 has been planned to open in the 2019/20 school year. Additionally, schooling will be free for orphans who have lost their parents due to HIV/AIDS.

When we congratulated Mr. Wembolenga on this wonderful project, he humbly answered that it is the training at GIMI that gave him the energy and knowledge to bring his dream to a successful conclusion.

Congratulations to Mr. Wembolenga for the excellent schooling to all the students of CS EL LION!