Mwanga WA OSHUN PROGRAM
About Us
MWO
"Instead of letting your hardships and failures discourage or exhaust you, let them inspire you. Let them make you even hungrier to succeed." -Michelle Obama
About Deedria (Founder/President)
Deedria Faulkner is the Founder and President of The Mwanga Wa Oshun Program. The program aims at contributing to the economic and social development of Lubumbashi, Congo, with a particular focus on women empowerment by addressing the problem of unemployment among women, health disparities and poverty. While unleashing their entrepreneurial potential, the program will support the establishment and growth of enterprises, owned/managed by women, thereby providing employment opportunities for self and others.
Faulkner continues working to bring U.S. political attention to global poverty. Faulkner works nationally to build support for legislations that triggers improvement for people in effected communities.
Background: As a young child playing alone in her grandfathers yard, Faulkner had a vision of helping needy children and families in Africa. Although as a child she had never traveled abroad, and her only knowledge of Africa was what she saw on television her desire to serve her brothers and sisters grew stronger and stronger. Faulkner did not know how God would use her, but she did know she was destined for greatness. In 2007, Faulkner received her Bachelor of Science in Public Health from The University of North Carolina she gained even more hands-on experience as a community health worker for Johns Hopkins Urban Health Institute. This institute sponsored Community Health Worker program focused on disparity trends within Baltimore City, patient care, primary, secondary and tertiary prevention strategies. Faulkner provided residents with HIV testing and counseling services while playing an active role in all stages of the testing. Faulkner worked with a diverse population of patients and the services that was provided for them included: assistance with substance abuse, hypertension maintenance/blood pressure monitoring, medication maintenance, diabetes education, asthma education, housing assistance, transitional housing assistance, health maintenance and education during pregnancy, STD/STI education, HIV/AIDS testing and counseling and social service assistance. Hands on experience as a community health worker has been the high light of my outreach. This experience has Faulkner enhancing her ability to simply understand the health needs of the most vulnerable populations in Eastern Baltimore. As a result, it has helped her to determine the important barriers to accessing needed health services for under privileged citizens.
Faulkner began birthing The Mwanga Wa Oshun project. In need of startup funding, Faulkner took a job as a Traveling Community Health Educator in Charlotte, NC. During this time, she was chosen as a team member to travel to Grison Gaurde, Haiti where she worked with orphaned children. From humble beginnings in one of Earth’s poorest (3rd world) countries, The Mwanga Wa Oshun Project was born.
Faulkner’s experience as an international teacher in Dubai, UAE, Salwa, Kuwait and health educator in Cap Haitien, Haiti as well as the United States of America has extended her the opportunity to become familiar with public health concerns for individuals internationally. Along with working on several international health projects, Faulkner volunteered as a certified Emergency Response member for the eastern United States. Faulkner was selected to work on the international committee for over three years with the Western Carolina Conference in Haiti and Guatemala, focusing on improving the countries public health.
Faulkner gained superior knowledge of relevant childcare/protective experience while working under Georgia state mandates. She obtained outstanding skills communicating with ethnic/socioeconomic backgrounds while educating families regarding service provision contracts and expectations. Faulkner attended family court hearings and depositions, as necessary. She evaluated client service provision to ensure maximum efficiency and quality was being used. Faulkner aided and supported new hires as required. She received the Fairy Dust Award in August 2016 and lead the department in family safety/welfare visits from November 2015-August 2016.
Zarea & Zuri’s Foundation was established in 2016. The focus of the foundation is to provide girls mentorship, etiquette and self-care education and resources while promoting confidence, accountability and self-love. The program encourages interacting with teens within the community while empowering them to make healthy decisions and avoiding poor behavior choices.
Presently, Faulkner is committee Chairman of The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW). Faulkner is responsible for cultivating responsible young ladies through promoting excellence in education, cultural, civic and spiritual experiences. NCNW encourages community involvement through volunteerism and service.
About Isaiah (Vice President of Operations)
Isaiah (Esaie) Njimbu Chot is the Vice President for Mwanga Wa Oshun Program in Lubumbashi, Congo. Isaiah is highly dependable and committed to a better quality of life for the people of Lubumbashi, Congo. Isaiah is the onsite coordinator for Mwanga Wa Oshun Program. He is responsible for overseeing and selecting program candidates. Isaiah is responsible for receiving donations and distributing funds with close communication. Isaiah is responsible for all supplies including orphanages, farming school, sewing school and the public health of the community.
Isaiah was born in Lubumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He attended Africa University, Zimbabwe, majoring in Sociology with orientation in social development. This Pan African institution provided Isaiah opportunities to grow and develop in his personal and social professional life.
While pursuing his degree in the university’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, Isaiah volunteered at Fairfield Children’s Home at nearby United Methodist Old Mutare Mission Centre. He worked in a variety of capacities with children and women until he graduated. Isaiah won an award for perfect attendance and serving needy children.
Isaiah was opened to the experiences of working with people and experienced what it meant to be poor and/or an orphan. He also had a good opportunity to discuss national issues affecting the development of the African communities with university students from different countries.
During his studies at Africa University, God put in his heart a big vision and prepared him to serve needy communities: poor families, orphaned and vulnerable children.
In 2009, Isaiah was fortunate to attend seminars sponsored by Servants in Faith and Technology (SIFAT), located in Lineville, Al, U.S.A. for indigenous missionary and community development leaders.
Through this worthy ministry, Isaiah has gained much experience working with children, women and touching families through God’s glory.
History & Mission
The goals of the Mwanga Wa Oshun Program are:
- Serve as a bridge between the MWO Program and the DRC Community. The program aims at contributing to the economic and social development of Lubumbashi, Congo, with a particular focus on empowerment of Lubumbashi and Kenyaka women.
- Support the women and children through their economic development. The program unleashes the entrepreneurial potential of the women and inspires them to become economically developed through education, activities and microloans.
- Identify scholarships to fund orphanages and refugees in Lubumbashi, Congo.
- Provide microloans to deserving women who have completed the sewing program.
Now headquartered in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo, The Mwanga Wa Oshun Project has become an influential campaign platform aimed at reducing global poverty through public mobilization and political advocacy. This serves as a testament that one child and a dream can change the world.
Through a generous personal investment by Ms. Deedria Faulkner, the Zarea & Zuri Foundation (ZZF) was established (2016) to fund the Mwanga Wa Oshun Program (2019) for Women and children – Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo (MWO).
From the start, Deedria Faulkner knew that economic development, education, quality health care and women empowerment was essential to the Congo women achieving their professional and personal goals, contributing to society and establishing financial independence. The program aims at contributing to the economic and social development of Lubumbashi, Congo, with a particular focus on empowerment of Lubumbashi and Kenyaka women, by addressing the problem of unemployment among women, health disparities and poverty. Unleashing their entrepreneurial potential, the program will support the establishment and growth of enterprises, owned/managed by women, thereby providing employment opportunities for self and others.
At a glance:
Help women in Lubumbashi reach their full potential on our gender equality and women’s empowerment project in Africa. You’ll encourage and provide training to groups of women in order to improve their futures.
For many African countries, poverty has created a vicious cycle that leave many groups of people feeling vulnerable, undervalued and underheard, most notably women and girls. Girls and women are marginalized and typically don’t live a life in which they can speak up and make the most of what they are capable of. Empowering women and promoting income generating skills is crucial to the future growth and progress of DRC, Congo.
By supporting this project, you’ll help target specific groups so they can secure a sustainable future for themselves. You’ll also raise awareness and promote women empowerment within Congo schools, farms, medical clinics and communities in the area.
Mission: Our mission is to educate, cultivate and inspire Congo women with income generating skills for the uplifting of community, orphanages and refugees.
