{"id":3330,"date":"2016-01-30T00:25:53","date_gmt":"2016-01-30T05:25:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/?p=3330"},"modified":"2016-01-30T00:33:20","modified_gmt":"2016-01-30T05:33:20","slug":"gbagus-boat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.covchurch.org\/ekstrand\/2016\/01\/gbagus-boat\/","title":{"rendered":"Gbagu’s boat"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Many Congolese use the rivers like highways to transport goods and sell at port cities if the rivers are passable.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Some things seem impossible. Gbagu (pronounced Ba-goo) does not understand impossible.<\/p>\n

Gbagu owns a big boat, one that can transport up to 12 tons of goods. In northwestern DR Congo, where\u00a0roads are typically impassable, rivers are highways. Think of a semi traveling down your local interstate.<\/p>\n

The reclamation of his boat is noteworthy, \u201cThe boat is yours, if you can find it,\u201d\u00a0the story goes. The boat was on the bottom of a river, where the boat\u2019s former owner had left it. Gbagu\u00a0managed to resurrect the boat, fix it up, and start a business.<\/p>\n

Why is this critical? Because the local river, like so many in NW Congo, is impassable. But if the Libala\u00a0River became navigable all the way to Karawa, the town\u2019s isolated market would have new life. This\u00a0means clearing an 80 kilometer (49 miles) stretch of the Libala River to connect the city of Karawa, with the\u00a0country\u2019s primary river system. After talking with the leaders of the communities along the Libala River,\u00a0Gbagu began clearing debris from the river\u2014rocks, trees, stumps, etc. With essentially no outside\u00a0support, he cleared 50 km (31 miles) of river through some of the world\u2019s densest jungle. Today people are already\u00a0using the portion of the river he has cleared. The primary beneficiaries of his work are the rural farmers\u00a0looking to sell their produce.<\/p>\n

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The Libala River is 80 km (40 miles) that connects Gbagu\u2019s home town, Karawa, with the country\u2019s primary river system.<\/p><\/div>\n

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Gbagu wants to finish what he has started but the trees on the remaining segment of river are simply\u00a0too big for axes and small saws. So Gbagu submitted a business application to PCP noting his need for a\u00a0large chainsaw and a new welder. Through this small business investment, the Libala River will be\u00a0opened for the first time in history due to the persistent entrepreneurialism of Gbagu. In addition to his\u00a0own personal business, 50,000 people who rely on this market for provisions and income, will benefit\u00a0from this business endeavor. Gbagu stands to grow his business in a great way, and he\u2019s eager to see\u00a0other people using the river as well, \u201cMy main objective is to open this possibility for people to get their\u00a0produce out of Karawa at an affordable price, to other parts of the Province and even Kinshasa.\u201d<\/p>\n

The floodgates are about to open along the Libala River. Karawa is about to become a port city for the\u00a0first time. All as a result of Gbagu\u2019s ingenuity and perseverance.<\/p>\n

PCP (Paul Carlson Partnership) is proud to partner with local business entrepreneurs such as Gbagu.<\/p>\n

Wondering how can you help?<\/p>\n