Edited from a report by Jean Lenge, Advocacy Officer, Bon Pasteur Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of Congo (Province of Eastern Central Africa)
On National Tree Day (December 5, 2025), the Bon Pasteur Kolwezi program in the Democratic Republic of Congo marked a significant milestone in our journey toward ecological justice as we stood in solidarity with the Provincial Government of Lualaba to champion a narrative of restoration, protecting the environment, and fighting against climate change.
The context of the Good Shepherd mission in Kolwezi, located in the Lualaba province, DR Congo, offers a unique vantage point on the fragility of our common home. In a region often defined by the extraction of mineral resources, the landscape bears the scars of mining activity
The day was structured to engage both the hearts and minds of our community partners. At the Bon Pasteur center, we prioritized education as a catalyst for conversion. We were privileged to host Professor Jérémie Mwambu from the University of Kolwezi, who facilitated a high-level workshop on the vital importance of trees in the fight against global warming. His insights helped bridge the gap between global climate science and local action, empowering our sisters, partners, staff, and students to see themselves as active agents of change.
We also conducted a sensitization session on the use of ecological briquettes. By promoting this sustainable alternative to traditional charcoal, we are providing our community with practical tools to reduce deforestation and protect our remaining woodlands. These actions flow directly from Bon Pasteur Kolwezi’s 2024-2028 Strategic Plan, guided by the Good Shepherd International Foundation (GSIF), a partnership in mission rooted in shared vision since 2013, ensuring environmental sustainability remains at the heart of transforming lives and landscapes together.
The culmination of our gathering was a powerful symbol of intergenerational and institutional unity as students, staff, community members, and partners planted 156 trees as part of a reforestation project. Each sapling placed in the soil represents a tangible step toward the national goal of restoring degraded land and a living commitment to the generations that will follow us.
We also had the honor of taking part in the Lualaba Provincial Government’s official ceremony, which brought together representatives of Provincial Ministers of Mines, Environment, Sustainable Development, Gender, and other key local leaders. The strong engagement of communities, Catholic organizations, and governmental actors reinforces the legitimacy of this collective commitment and demonstrates a clear alignment with a shared vision of sustainable development for the region.
This initiative serves as a direct response to our Good Shepherd Position Paper on Integral Ecology, which challenges us to witness and respond to the ill-considered exploitation of nature that threatens not only our environment but the very survival of our human communities.
Our Position Paper calls us to evaluate our programs according to principles of respect for the earth. By mobilizing 61 participants and broadcasting our activities on national and local channels in DRC, we successfully amplified the message that the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor are one and the same.
As we nurture these young trees, we are also nurturing a new consciousness within our community—one that understands that true development cannot exist without the care of creation. We invite our global family of sisters and partners-in-mission to join us in this ongoing work, as we continue to build a world founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, and a culture of peace.
Learn more about the Good Sheperd mission in the Province of Eastern Central Africa
