A word from Professor Lukusa Dia Bondo

A word from Professor LUKUSA DIA BONDO, Administrator and Deputy Director of the RAWJI foundation

Overcoming diabetes in the Congo

At present, our activities are primarily focused in three main areas.

• The first is in awarding prizes of excellence to the top achievers in Congolese universities which have at least 1000 students and award degrees. In 2007, 75 top achievers who obtained the highest distinction in 25 of the country's universities were awarded prizes of excellence amounting to 187,500 dollars, or 2,500 dollars per prize winner. Since 2004, the foundation has awarded prizes of excellence to 252 top achievers from some twenty Congolese universities in 8 provinces, totalling 630,000 dollars.
• The second is the restoration of university buildings. Between 2004 and 2007, the foundation invested almost 800,000 dollars in rebuilding classrooms at the University of Kinshasa, the University of Mbuji-Mayi, the University of Kisangani, the University of Kindu, Kongo University and the Université Catholique du Graben at Butembo.
• The third is the financing of university textbooks. The books are given to students at cost price.

To do this requires a full-time on the spot presence, and it is undertaken in the same businesslike manner as are all projects initiated, monitored and supervised by the founding members of the RAWJI Foundation.