In a quiet community outside Lubumbashi, Congo, the dream of education often feels impossibly far away. City schools—too expensive, too distant—are simply not an option for many families. But for years, parents held onto hope, asking for a Franciscan school where their children could learn, grow, and build a future. 

Answering this call, Fr. Zabulon Furume Kabonwa and Br. André Murhabale Barhayiga began making fired bricks locally, determined to build a school. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, they constructed nine classrooms and welcomed the first students for the 2022-2023 school year.

The Saint Benedict African School Complex—which includes a nursery, primary, and secondary school—quickly became a beacon of hope. With 532 students and counting, classrooms overflowed, some holding up to 65 children at a time. Teachers split students into morning and afternoon shifts, doing their best, but the reality was clear: they needed more space.

To meet this growing demand,  Fr. Zabulon and Br. André, and the friars and sisters at the school, sought support to build an additional nine classrooms, an administrative building, and two toilet blocks. This expansion would create room for more students, smaller class sizes, and a learning environment where both children and teachers could thrive. 

Their vision was simple:  

• A classroom for each grade level.
• Enough space for children to learn and study, while reducing health risks.     
• A place where teachers could see and support every student.
• An education fostering human, Christian, and intellectual growth that would not only shape young minds, but future leaders.

In August 2024, the new school expansion opened, and the entire community came together to celebrate. They gathered in song, received communion, and shared in the excitement of a brighter future.   

Because of generous donors, more children will have the education that once felt out of reach. They will learn. They will hope. They will grow into something bigger than their circumstances—and that changes everything.