A 25-year dream to help and support street children and orphans in the Democratic Republic of Congo is now becoming a reality.

On a trip home to the family in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2021, I wandered around the streets of Kinshasa and experienced the many street children. The children made me reflect on my own childhood in the country, and an old dream of opening an orphanage came vaguely to life.

I was born and raised in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In 1998 I was lucky to become part of the "World Class project" at Ryslinge Højskole on Funen, where I met fantastic and inspiring people who worked as voluntary NGOs around the world. Here I was reinforced that voluntary work is meaningful and helps to save lives.

There are ten children in my family, and I am number five. When I was 14, we lost our father. It was terrible as a 14-year-old girl to experience how my life changed in a split second.

Our father had been the sole breadwinner, while our mother was a homemaker. Besides the sadness of losing him, we experienced a social deroute. We became completely dependent on others financially.

So I know all too well the feeling of not belonging.The feeling of missing everything.The feeling of a world full of uncertainty.The feeling of having to be an adult far too soon.The feeling that your childhood has been taken from you and that you have no choice but to try to cope.

I have become who I am today because many people with a big heart saw a potential in me and chose to support and guide me. They created a safe world for me.The time has now come when I can repay my gratitude. Now it's my turn to create a safe haven for the many street children and orphans in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The purpose of the association Congo's Children is to provide support and help to street children and orphans in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, so that their safety and well-being increases. Including setting up an orphanage with a school, training workshops and agriculture.

I want to create a safe home for children who lack a home and responsible adults.For many children, everyday life is characterized by violence, by stealing or by begging, because they have no other way out. These are children whose only day is about survival and not about living.

I want to create a new world for those children. It must be a world where they don't have to worry about tomorrow. Where they can learn to live in the present.I want to give these children the opportunity to live in safety, safely surrounded by caring adults.They must be able to dream of a better future and of being able to go to school.I want to give these kids the opportunity to be kids.