Congo Helping Hands is committed to building schools from recycled vinyl billboards! Their dream: to have these school throughout Congo…so when a plane flies overhead, the countryside is dotted with these bright colored structures with US logos all over them! Congo Helping Hands is committed to ending poverty through their commitment to education.

I had a terrific conversation with Woody Collins founder of Congo Helping Hands (CHH).  You can listen to a podcast of Making a Difference radio here. I met Woody at the NTEN Nonprofit Tech Conference. When I learned about CHH, I interviewed him on Cinchcast and we scheduled the radio program.

Congo Helping Hands has a partnership with a billboard company who donates used vinyl billboards. Recycling and reusing for a great purpose – education. The vinyl is easily folded and compacted for shipment via cargo container to Africa. In October, they are shipping over a portable saw mill and the vinyl. Students at Andrews University architecture program are developing the plans and the first demo school is planned for January! CHH will be training and paying the villagers to use the saw and build the schools, creating two micro businesses. Each school allows 250 students to learn and continue their education. They have also created a rainwater catchment allowing villages to collect clean water and the cost is only $3,000 per school! Congo Helping Hands is creating a real win-win-win:

• Recycling vinyl billboards which would have been thrown out
• Teaching villagers in Congo skills and paying them
• Creating a space for children to learn
• Catching rainwater that helps the villagers through the dry seasons

Listen to our radio conversation to learn more. To support Congo Helping Hands, volunteer or make a contribution, please visit www.endingextremepoverty.org, on Facebook or @woodycollins.