Hello Kinshasa ..........................

A bit difficult to think that just two weeks ago I was in the snow , dressed in a warm coat...been a true "Canadian"..... having my say about the weather.....I hear the weather this past week has really been cold dipping down to -24C and that without the wind factor , which could bring it down a futher -10C.......on that note we are back in Kinshasa.

I will not say that it is sunny with a blue sky ....because most days here in Kinshasa are grey. When the wind blows the clouds and pollution away we have a blue sky !!!! The heat and humidity, that is a given, with temperatures always in the 30C+

Just before we left for Canada , we bought a beautiful side table and lamps for our house. We ordered the table in November from a work shop called "Artisanat et Developpement"

Artisans in Congo have worked in a chaotic situation of war, corruption and uncertainty. Exporters here face considerable obstacles, including the most expensive port in Africa. Artisanat et Développement is a local nonprofit artisans’ organization that provides training and marketing assistance to Congolese artisans, and ensures that they receive fair payment for their products. Other artisan benefits include interest-free loans for workshop construction, wood-drying kilns and other needs. Along with its export business, Artisanat et Développement runs a retail store in Kinshasa, Congo’s capital. Historically craftspeople in Congo were not respected. Because of these artisans’ involvement with Artisanat et Développement, they and their families are now more respected. They achieve dignity through this work.

Artisanat et Développement was established in 1997 with assistance of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), a U.S.-based relief and development organization and Ten Thousand Villages parent organization. Artisanat et Développement became independent in 2007. In 2003 Ten Thousand Villages was temporarily forced to stop importing from Congo due to local trade barriers including corruption and lack of infrastructure. But Ten Thousand Villages buyers continued to work with MCC offices in Congo and with the director of Artisanat et Développement to build artisan capacity. With the Congolese presidential and parliamentary elections held in 2006, Ten Thousand Villages was able to again resume trade with Artisanat et Développement. visit there website :http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/catalog/

http://www.artisandevelop.com/

We had an opportunity to buy a new painting to put a bit of colour into our apartment.....this we bought on a Sunday afternoon while visiting one of the Restaurants .... ...........