Congo Education Partners, P. O. Box 813, Hillsborough, NC (2026)

10/14/2026

It’s coming together! We’re excited to share some photos of the latest advances at Djolu Technical College’s new computer center! Doors, windows, flooring, internet equipment, and large screens for remote learning have all been installed in the new building.

As with any complex construction project, there have been delays – especially due to the challenges of transporting equipment and supplies 900 miles by boat from Kinshasa!

Both students and professors are excited about what the center will mean for their work and their studies. And it’s already making a difference.

In fact, it’s BECAUSE of the new computer center that Jean Bilama, Glodi Lotana and Félix Kihambu (the three DTC professors we spotlighted this summer) will be able to start their PhD programs remotely and teach at DTC at the same time.

All three did their masters degree coursework online while teaching at Djolu. This meant that they only had to pay HALF as much for their degrees ($6,000 instead of $12,000) since there was no need to pay for transportation and room and board to attend classes at the University of Kisangani. And of course, doing their coursework remotely while teaching at DTC benefited their students as well!

We are deeply grateful to the Tomberg Family Philanthropies and an anonymous donor for making the new computer center possible.

Photos (c) Vie Sauvage: 1) Installing internet equipment 2) Installing flooring 3) Television screens for remote learning 4) View of the main entrance

10/14/2026

It’s coming together! We’re excited to share some photos of the latest advances at Djolu Technical College’s new computer center! Doors, windows, flooring, internet equipment, and large screens for remote learning have all been installed in the new building.

As with any complex construction project, there have been delays – especially due to the challenges of transporting equipment and supplies 900 miles by boat from Kinshasa!

Both students and professors are excited about what the center will mean for their work and their studies. And it’s already making a difference.

In fact, it’s BECAUSE of the new computer center that Jean Bilama, Glodi Lotana and Félix Kihambu (the three DTC professors we spotlighted this summer) will be able to start their PhD programs remotely and teach at DTC at the same time.

All three did their masters degree coursework online while teaching at Djolu. This meant that they only had to pay HALF as much for their degrees ($6,000 instead of $12,000) since there was no need to pay for transportation and room and board to attend classes at the University of Kisangani. And of course, doing their coursework remotely while teaching at DTC benefited their students as well!

We are deeply grateful to the Tomberg Family Philanthropies and an anonymous donor for making the new computer center possible.

Photos (c) Vie Sauvage: 1) Installing internet equipment 2) Installing flooring 3) Television screens for remote learning 4) View of the main entrance

08/25/2026

📣 Three Djolu Technical College professors are new doctoral researchers!

Congratulations to Jean Bilama, Glodi Lotana and Félix Kihambu!

All three professors recently defended their Master's theses at the University of Kisangani – Congo’s leading ecological sciences institution.

Their research looked at bird diversity in agricultural landscapes around Kisangani, bird populations in a forest-savanna transition zone in the Uele region, and snake diversity in landscapes near Lokutu.

The Congo rainforest is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth and yet there are remarkably few Congolese scientists doing fieldwork there. The DRC has few science universities (science is expensive to teach and to do) and too few professors. And even the brightest students (especially women and rural students) may not make it to university due to family poverty and a preference for educating men and boys.

Bilama, Lotana and Kihambu’s research is important because it fills gaps in what the world knows about rainforest ecosystems. They are also building Djolu Technical College’s scientific capacity and a foundation of knowledge that helps improve local farmers’ agricultural yields and their ability to better protect the rainforest. For example, knowledge about birds that help or harm particular crops and snakes that protect harvests and reduce disease by keeping rodent populations in check make it easier for people in rainforest communities to thrive while protecting local wildlife.

The fact that the researchers are Congolese and know the rainforest is also important. They understand the local realities in a way no outside scientist ever fully could, and their findings are useful to the people who live in the region.

All three professors will start their PhD programs while continuing to teach at DTC, something they can do thanks to the College’s satellite internet connection and its updated computer center, which will allow them to take remote classes at the University of Kisangani.

Photos (c) Vie Sauvage: (Top L: Felix Kihambu), (Top R: Glodi Lotana with his advisor), (Bottom L: Felix Kihambu with flowers, daughter and guests) & (Bottom R: Jean Bilama, Glodi Lotana and Félix Kihambu)

08/20/2026

How do you reach communities spread over a 100,000 square kilometer region connected only by dirt roads and jungle paths?

In the Djolu region, where in-person outreach has its limits, community radio offers one of the most powerful (and low-cost) tools for spreading awareness and knowledge about regenerative agriculture, biodiversity conservation, and public health.

Last week we told you about Djolu Technical College’s new computer center. Did you know that a community radio center will also be housed in the same building? The new radio center will broadcast messages in French, Lingala, and Longando to a population of over 400,000 people.

Tshuapa Province - where Djolu is located - has some of the highest levels of food insecurity in Congo. It is also one of the most biodiverse places on Earth and home to three forest reserves.

What happens there should matter to all of us.

About 60% of the working population in the region are farmers, but many still rely on slash-and-burn farming methods that deplete the soil and drive deforestation. DTC faculty and students are already doing in-person outreach, teaching skills to help shift communities away from slash-and-burn farming.

Radio broadcasts will greatly amplify their reach by broadcasting these messages to farmers in local languages in even the most remote villages.

And this is just the beginning.

As DTC’s public health, nursing, and midwifery programs continue to grow, they can also use radio to broadcast life-saving information about family planning, maternal health, child nutrition, HIV/AIDS and Ebola prevention.

Community radio will multiply the impact of DTC’s transformative work, helping to save lives and protect the rainforest.

Photo (c) Vie Sauvage

🇨🇩

07/29/2026

How do you reach communities spread over a 100,000 square kilometer region connected only by dirt roads and jungle paths?

In the Djolu region, where in-person outreach has its limits, community radio offers one of the most powerful (and low-cost) tools for spreading awareness and knowledge about regenerative agriculture, biodiversity conservation, and public health.

Last week we told you about Djolu Technical College’s new computer center. Did you know that a radio center will also be housed in the same building?

✨The new community radio center will broadcast messages in French, Lingala, and Longando to a population of over 400,000 people.

Tshuapa Province - where Djolu is located - has some of the highest levels of food insecurity in Congo. It is also one of the most biodiverse places on Earth and home to three forest reserves.

What happens there should matter to all of us.

About 60% of the working population in the region are farmers, but many still rely on slash-and-burn farming methods that deplete the soil and drive deforestation. DTC faculty and students are already doing in-person outreach, teaching skills to help shift communities away from slash-and-burn farming.

Radio broadcasts will greatly amplify their reach by broadcasting these messages to farmers in local languages in even the most remote villages.

And this is just the beginning.

As DTC’s public health, nursing, and midwifery programs continue to grow, they can also use radio to broadcast life-saving information about family planning, maternal health, child nutrition, HIV/AIDS and Ebola prevention.

Community radio will multiply the impact of DTC's transformative work, helping to save lives and protect the rainforest. 🌿

Photo of the new radio center in progress by Vie Sauvage

07/20/2026

Can you imagine keeping up with college without access to the internet? Or staying up late to write a report without a computer or electricity?

This was the reality faced by students and faculty before Djolu Technical College’s computer center was built a few years ago. This critical resource has transformed how students and teachers learn and work, but the need has outgrown its capacity.

Earlier this year, when the Djolu team assessed the computer lab for urgent repairs and upgrades, they realized they needed an entirely new building with more space for new hardware and furniture. They also needed more space to account for an increased need among students and teachers.

Thanks to your support, a grant from the Tomberg Family Foundation and a generous gift by an anonymous donor, we’re excited to announce DTC’s brand-new computer and community radio center, on track to be finished early this fall!

Solar panels are being installed as well as a new, high-speed satellite WiFi system – critical for a dependable internet connection in a remote area like Djolu. This new building will not only house the new, upgraded computer center, but also a community radio station (we’ll share more about that soon!).

Stay tuned for updates!

Photos (c) Vie Sauvage

07/15/2026

Can you imagine keeping up with college without access to the internet? Or staying up late to write a report without a computer or electricity?

This was the reality faced by students and faculty before Djolu Technical College’s computer center was built a few years ago. This critical resource has transformed how students and teachers learn and work, but the need has outgrown its capacity.

Earlier this year, when the Djolu team assessed the computer lab for urgent repairs and upgrades, they realized they needed an entirely new building with more space for new hardware and furniture. They also needed more space to account for an increased need among students and teachers.

Thanks to your support, a grant from the Tomberg Family Foundation and a generous donation by an anonymous donor, we’re excited to announce DTC’s brand-new computer and community radio center, on track to be finished early this fall!

Solar panels are being installed as well as a new, high-speed satellite Wi-Fi system – critical for a dependable internet connection in a remote area like Djolu. This new building will not only house the new, upgraded computer center, but also a community radio station (we’ll share more about that soon!).

Stay tuned for updates!

Photos (c) Vie Sauvage

Photos below of the new building, students learning to use computers, a new router, and the delivery of building materials by boat.

06/09/2026

Last week we introduced you to Patience, a second-year Agricultural Technology student at Djolu Technical College. She will graduate in 2027 and step into a leadership role overseeing the regenerative agriculture project at the Kokolopori Nature Reserve.

Today we want to share something that many of our supporters don’t realize:
CEP’s support goes beyond scholarships and faculty salaries. We also invest in what comes next, so that when women like Patience graduate, they have meaningful jobs waiting for them. In a region where paid professional roles for women are rare, it makes all the difference.

Patience’s work at Kokolopori - helping to build more resilient food systems for local communities - will require sustainable support to make it a reality. Right now, we’re looking to raise $4,000 to fund her first year of employment.

A scholarship brought Patience this far. And the next chapter of Patience’s story is ready to be written.

Will you help make it a reality?
To donate, see our Linktree in bio. Thank you! Photo (c) Vie Sauvage

06/09/2026

Last week we introduced you to Patience, a second-year Agricultural Technology student at Djolu Technical College who will graduate in 2027 and step into a leadership role overseeing the regenerative agriculture project at the Kokolopori Nature Reserve.

Today we want to share something that many of our supporters don't realize:

CEP's support goes beyond scholarships and faculty salaries. We also invest in what comes next, so that when women like Patience graduate, they have meaningful jobs waiting for them. In a region where paid professional roles for women are rare, it makes all the difference.

Patience's work at Kokolopori - helping to build more resilient food systems for local communities - will require sustainable support to make it a reality. Right now, we're looking to raise $4,000 to fund her first year of employment.

A scholarship brought Patience this far. And the next chapter of Patience's story is ready to be written.

Will you help make it a reality?

https://www.congoeducationpartners.org/donate.html

Photo (c) Vie Sauvage

05/26/2026

Patience Ngolangi is a second-year Agricultural Technology student at Djolu Technical College, and one of DTC’s talented scholarship recipients.

When Patience graduates in 2027, she will step into a leadership role overseeing seven pilot centers for the regenerative agriculture project at the Kokolopori Nature Reserve. She will provide guidance to women's cooperatives and train local farmers in regenerative agriculture to build more resilient food systems for their communities.

Thanks to support from our donors, Patience is one of 10 women currently attending DTC on scholarship. These women are studying Sustainable Agriculture, Environmental Science, and Nursing and Public Health - and their leadership will be critical for the future of their rainforest.

Something we have seen again and again at DTC is that students don’t just seek an education to improve their own lives – they are also driven by the desire to help their communities.

Djolu Technical College is sowing the seeds of change by educating a new generation of women leaders.

And the impact of higher education extends far beyond the classroom, reaching families, communities, and the Congo Basin rainforest.

We are so grateful for our supporters who make it possible!

Photo (c) Vie Sauvage

Congo Education Partners

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