Young Catholics Transform Bukavu: Faith, Integral Ecology, and Community Action in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

In the city of Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, hundreds of young Catholics are demonstrating that faith can become a powerful force for the care of creation. Through initiatives led by the Bukavu Cathedral, its Parish Youth Council (CPJ), and the CYNESA RDC (Catholic Youth Network for Sustainability in Africa), entire communities are being mobilized to address the environmental challenges affecting the region.

As participants in the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, these young people have received a mini-grant from the Mundell Foundation to strengthen their commitment to protecting our Common Home through environmental awareness activities, community cleanups, reforestation, plastic waste reduction, and training in integral ecology.

Inspired by the teachings of Laudato Si’ and the life of St. Francis of Assisi, the initiatives carried out in Bukavu have combined spirituality with concrete action. Participants have promoted environmental education campaigns, cleanup days in neighborhoods and public spaces, the protection of water sources, tree planting, and solidarity actions aimed at people in vulnerable situations.

One of the most notable projects has been “Bukavu Without Plastic Waste,” an initiative that seeks to address one of the city’s main environmental problems by mobilizing young people, collecting waste, and promoting a circular economy. More than 150 volunteers participated in the cleanup activities and collected over 400 bags of plastic waste, which is being transformed into eco-friendly construction materials for community infrastructure.

These actions concretely reflect several Laudato Si’ Objectives, particularly Response to the Cry of the Earth, Response to the Cry of the Poor, Ecological Education, and Community Resilience and Empowerment . Beyond the environmental results, the project has strengthened youth leadership, social cohesion, and a sense of shared responsibility toward creation.

“When young people discover that caring for creation is part of their Christian vocation, they understand that faith is not limited to words, but becomes a daily commitment to life, human dignity, and the future of our communities,” says Monsieur l’Abbé Aumônier Oscar Bashimbe Rodriguez, the spiritual guide for the initiative.

The experience in Bukavu demonstrates how parishes can become spaces for ecological and social transformation. Through collaboration between the Church, youth organizations, and local communities, integral ecology ceases to be an abstract concept and becomes a visible reality in the streets, neighborhoods, and people’s lives.

Note: This project received support through a mini-grant awarded by the Mundell Foundation, a nonprofit philanthropic organization based in the United States. Through this initiative, the Foundation supports projects led by participants within the Laudato Si’ Action Platform and other communities committed to the care of creation, strengthening local actions with social, environmental, and pastoral impact in dioceses and territories around the world.