Emmanuel Bakenga 

I was born and grew up in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Province of South Kivu, Bukavu city.

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Born in a family of seven children with two wonderful parents. My father was working in the mines and mum was doing other business. We were rated among the reach in our city but everything changed in 1997 when the war started. All my family (Six siblings and both parents) were murdered during Civil war and I was the only survivor. I cried every night for a year and wanted to kill myself due to how I was neglected by other family members. I still managed to excel in studies and was able to finish my degree in social science. 

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I Became a refugee in Uganda in 2005 – I was taken to Kyaka 2 Refugee Settlement where I lived for the next 7 years. Life in the Camp was like hell on earth – A lot of sickness caused by poor sanitation and mosquitos, lack of medication plus malnutrition. Children dies every day and families struggling to survive. I was both a senior pastor of a church in the camp and a community worker helping other refugees in settling, counselling etc. 

 

I Came to Australia in 2012. I faced many challenges but now things are getting better and happy that I can see myself achieving my gaols. 

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What is my heart desire in this program? 

Bob Dylan said “Pain surely brings the best out of people”. After experiencing what it is like to be an orphan, and 7 years in the refugee camp, I made a promise to myself that as long as I am still breathing I will do something to help orphans. I can’t change the whole world, but I know I can do something for someone. 

However, you do not need to experience what I have experienced in order to help others. You just have to be empathetic.  

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Why Bakenga Empathy?

I called the Charity Bakenga’s Empathy for the memory of my family. My parents were very compassionate kind of people. They build a legacy of helping those who were in need. Our house was full of strange orphan kids whom my parents fed and paid their school fees. After a year of their death, I met a lot of people who told me how kind my parents were and how they were missed. I thought their legacy is not be underestimated, so I decided to continue from where they stopped. This is the same legacy I want to leave to my kids and the message I send out there; That we shouldn’t live in the world where we don’t look out for each other. Not just the people that are close to us, but anyone who needs a helping hand. We can’t change the way other people think or what they decide to do but we can always do our bit. Live by each other’s happiness not misery. 

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What Emmanuel does in Australia 

Green Connect - HOPE CHURCH - Food Pantry and Soup kitchen

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Bakenga's Empathy

Bakenga’s Empathy was founded by Emmanuel Bakenga, a Congolese refugee, who has experienced first-hand the effects of a country torn apart by years of war and civil unrest.

Founded in 2007 in a refugee camp of Uganda, Bakenga’s Empathy began its mission by helping to care for unaccompanied minor refugees’ children who had been forced into a refugee camp.

With Emmanuel’s intimate knowledge of the struggles that face children, women and young people, Bakenga’s Empathy is willing to re-start and respond effectively and with flexibility, to directly meet the needs of orphans, widows and youth on the ground of East Africa and DRC.

Bakenga’s Empathy projects is hoping to provide sponsorships in education and homes for children, vocational skills and training for youth and Teenage mums. Our desire is to stand as a respected and effective organisation bringing valuable, sustainable change to the people of Congo and East Africa.