We are striving to create the CCCW for several reasons.

The initial focus of the CCCW is to offer a more efficient English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction curriculum to incoming refugees from the DRC and other regions of Africa. Although an immersion curriculum may help some students learn new languages quickly, many beginning ESL learners do not have the basic knowledge of the English language to progress quickly without further explanation. Grammar concepts and vocabulary definitions are not necessarily understood by being in an environment long enough, and adults who need to support their families do not have the luxury of time to learn a new language at slower than necessary pace. Instruction supported by a shared language, such as French, can drastically speed up the pace of learning for students who are unable to ask their questions or express concerns in an ESL classroom otherwise. We are confident from our own experiences in studying/ teaching languages that a higher percentage of those who start this type of language course will remain to the end, before progressing on to more traditional target-language only classroom settings.

A better education leads to a better future, and subsequently, the ability to give back to one's community.

To help the language acquisition process, we are collecting English-French/ French-English dictionaries and textbooks, looking for native English speakers fluent in the French language, and are looking to find a space in which we can offer such classes.

The second, but equally important, role of the CCCW is to provide support and interpretation services for refugees related to: housing, school (elementary/ middle/ high school or college), legal integration, immigration, and hospital check-ups or hospital emergency assistance. Having a visible, stable, and safe environment which can receive walk-ins from the public or phone inquiries is essential.

The third goal of the CCCW is to teach the local community more about the Congolese culture through a variety of activities focused on language, food, music, art, and dance. This would be a great resource for schools (or individuals) who want to expand their students' knowledge of global issues and humanities.

If you would like to help us create the Congolese Cultural Center of Washington, please consider if you can donate money, time, or any of the following items to our cause:

• 12-15 personal computers
  
• Two Printers
  
• Two Printers
  
• Paper (printer or notebook)
  
• Pens
  
• English/ French textbooks
  
• English/ French dictionaries
  
• English teaching supplements (books, visual aids)
  
• A room with fifteen chairs and desks/ tables (in the Seattle/ Tacoma area)
  
• Microsoft Office software
  
• Mavis Beacon software
  
• Projector
  
• Projector Screen
  
• DVD player

We are currently accepting items to go directly to refugees as well. For more information about these items, please see our Donations page.

"OkoNGO's vision is to help all Congolese arriving in the United States of America become self reliant and contribute to the development of the United States of America. More importantly, we strive to help Congolese refugees become independent. We work in all areas to support, educate and need, our intention is to help arriving Congolese to effectively transition."

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT OkoNGO?

Dear OkoNGO organization,

Thank you very much for providing a Lingala interpreter for one of our refugee clients. She was able to go to her doctor's appointment and understand what the doctor was saying. This helped her health situation and made her feel more comfortable because someone from her home country was there. We appreciate that you took the time to help us find someone in our area and that the person you recommended was a great volunteer. We looked for many weeks and could not find a good interpreter. If we didn't find someone she would have to go all the way to Seattle instead of near her home. Your connection made a huge difference!

Please contact us anytime if we can help support your organization also.

With much gratitude,

Kimberly Foster
Lutheran Community Services NW
Refugee Resettlement
Tel: [206] 816 3251

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Hi Dear Wembakoy,

Que la paix du seigneur soit avec vous tous. Vraiment mon frere je ne sais pas quoi dire de vous, sur tout ce que vous avez fait de moi et ajourd'hui j'en suis tres fier de vous pour votre aide qui m'a beaucoup aider comme le voyage n'a pas eu lieu de vous joindre las bas. Comme tu m'avais conseiler de ne pas perdre l'argent car sinon c'est difficile, j'ai aussi entendu tes conseils. Cette annee las j'etais parti a la Namibie pour le voyage comme j'avais signaler a Y'emmanuel mais malhereusement le monsieur "titindicaire" m'a escroquer a tel point que je n'ai pas pu voyager.

Heureusemsnt que je ne lui avais pas donner tout l'argent ce qui fait que j'etais rentrer en afrique du Sud pour s'installer. J'ai ouvert un compte bancaire pour mettre cette somme d'argent restant. Par apres je me suis inscrit pour les etudes et finalement me marier avec une Sud Africaine toujours avec le meme argent restant. Dieu merci ajourd'hui que je te parle grace a Dieu que j'attend la correction pour mon memoire de doctorat. Bientot d'ici Septembre je serrais colais comme "Docteur en Science, option Chimie". Encore de plus Dieu merci, je sait que a cause de votre aide financiere que je suis devenu docteur.

Que Dieu vous prete une longue vie et surtout pardonner moi pour ce long temps car je tout fait pour avoir votre contact. En 2007, j'etais a kin et je suis arriver chez vous et ton nunero que j'ai eu n'est passer pas. En 2008, je suis aller en Espagne pour la conference comme je n'avais pas ton numero c'etait vraiment difficille de te contacter. C'est grace a Dieu a travers le Face book que j'ai pu rencontrer Reverend Shonda Okonda qui m'a finalement donner tes email addresses. Vraiment mon frere soyer toujours en contact et surtout si tu as le cellulaire veillez me donner ton numero. Que Dieu vous benisse encore. Pour moi c'est une grande joie d'etre en contact encore avec vous.

Que la paix soit avec vous tous. Saluez ton epouse et les enfants, sans oublier tout tes freres que je connais. Votre frere Anatole Zelo

I just want to say thank you to OkoNGO for helping secure my work authorization in the United State of America. I was renewing my work authorization permit so many times but was rejected. I contacted the President of OkoNGO, Mr. Wemba-koy Okonda and he wrote a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and send it together with my application. It was approved quickly.

Many thanks for helping our Congolese Community in the great State of Washington.

Sincerely,

Elinda Mbutu
May 2010.

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I am so happy to see that, in the United States especially in the State of Washington there is an organization to help Congolese like us who don't know English. We are taking English as a Second Language classes right now.

My wife and I, went to see the President of OkoNGO, Mr. Wemba-koy Okonda and asked him to assist us to write a letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for our daughter who did not receive her green card despite all us had ours. Mr. Okonda did hesitate. He wrote the letter for free and few months later, we received our daughter's green card. We are so happy.

In future, my wife and I, are planning to go to College and we usually ask him questions on how to proceed? He is giving us courage that, we will make it as he did.

We are praying that OkoNGO gets government's support to help people like my family. We need OkoNGO here in the State of Washington.

Sincerely,

Dieudonne Kasongo
Resident of Washington State

My name is Olga Yanga. I came to US as a refugee. I don't know English. Mr. Wemba-koy Okonda, President of OkoNGO volunteered to help me with interpretation at the hospital for free.

I used to feel lonely and powerless but OkoNGO made a difference for me in the State of Washington. I beg you there to support OkoNGO to help us adjust in this country. It is not easy to be on the foreign land.

Olga Yanga
Washington State

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Dear Mr Wemba Okongo,

I would like to take this moment to really thank you for the time and effort you took to translate my mother and father births certificates without asking me for a Pennie, i know words are not enough to express my gratitude , but the only thing i known is that my God will assist you.

Thank you

Sincerely Mireille