About.

Pamoja means "Together" in Swahili. In that spirit, Pamoja Solutions responds to locally identified needs and aspirations respecting local culture, knowledge and know-how in African rural communities.  We focus on education, agriculture and social enterprises that help women and children thrive. 
 
We are run by volunteers and have minimal overhead expenses. Every donation to Pamoja has a direct impact on a local community in rural Africa.
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Established in 2005

Our Goal

Since our inception in 2005 and working with our partners on the ground in DRC, Pamoja has made a significant contribution to better the lives of the citizens of Katebi, Nzilo and Kazembe in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

• We have enabled the construction of a multi-use building which now houses a kindergarten school, a community space, and an agricultural centre.
• We facilitated the hiring and compensation of a teacher and teacher assistant who are educating 60 children from the community.
• We have facilitated the planting of seeds and harvesting of peanuts, sunflowers, soya, and vegetables for the Katebi community.
• Pamoja’s women’s health program provided 300 sterile birthing kits to pregnant women who otherwise would have no access to sanitary means in childbirth.
• 2,100 anti-malaria bed nets were distributed to the citizens of Katebi, Nzilo and Kazembe, effectively protecting 2/3 of the population from the endemic disease.
• 140 kg of children’s nutritional supplements supplied through the Sprinkles Global Health Initiative have been distributed since 2006.
• 700  LifeStraw® family water filtration units distributed in 2010-2011. 
• Water and soil tests completed in 2008 showed significant contamination of water with e-coli and heavy metals, which led to Pamoja’s acquisition of water filtration systems for each home in the villages.
• Local farming practices assessed for potential crop options, tool and seed requirements and potential participants in agricultural activities in 2008.

Our goal is to help rebuild rural African communities through projects that promote health, education and sustainable agricultural practices. We hope that our ongoing relationship with the community of Katebi can serve as a model for similar projects in other African rural communities

Our Team

​Members of the board of Pamoja Solutions are spread out from the Yukon, to Toronto and Montreal in Canada, and Florida in the United States. But they work together to maintain Pamoja as an all-volunteer organization dedicated to sending every dollar raised to DRC. (Bank fees and media costs excepted.) ​

Mikhaël Missakabo, founding member
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Mik is a native of Kolwezi in the former Katanga province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Based in Canada, he has spent most of his working life in the field of education. He currently works as a professor at Yukon University in Whitehorse.  For almost 20 years, Mik has been involved in various development initiatives in Africa. ​

Steve Solomon, President and founding member
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Steve  was born, raised and currently lives in Toronto, Canada.  He retired after a twenty-five year career as a probation and parole officer with the Ontario Public Service. He got involved with Pamoja because he knew that it was for a good cause.  He continues to believe in what Pamoja is doing and is encouraged by what we've achieved so far.   His interests include reading,  writing and working as an amateur potter.

Christine Larouche, founding member
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Christine  is a museum visitor research consultant based in Hollywood, Florida, formerly a resident of Toronto, Canada.  There, she met founding member Mikhaël Missakabo and was intrigued with the idea of helping the community of his birth better their lives.  She has been involved with Pamoja from its inception and is excited about the latest developments: a thriving school, a strong agricultural crop, and the possibility of providing tools to promote self-sufficiency.

Nancy Jackson, founding member

Nancy  lives in Montreal. She retired from a career in publishing to become a scientific glassblower. She just retired from that as well. She joined Pamoja many years ago to help a friend. She ended up making many other friends by doing this. Fun fact: all those people she thought she was helping have enriched her own life astonishingly. Try it. You learn so much about yourself and about the world you thought you knew.
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Katie Almond, board member since May 2024

Katie worked as a Probation and Parole Officer for three decades.
She has been involved in the development of extensive community networks. She sits on the boards of several organizations that
provide human services, health and justice supports for marginalized individuals.
One of her primary goals has been to improve the social determinants of health for communities that have been oppressed. Katie is committed to helping Pamoja explore further opportunities to
support the citizens of Katebi, Nzilo and Kazembe.

Our Partners in Kolwezi (city near Katebi)

Father Georges Kalenga
Georges Kalenga Masuka has worked with the Kolping Institute for many years, training communities in setting up co-operatives and helping to develop local leadership in rural communities. He is also associated with Caritas International, a confederation of 160 Catholic relief, development and social service agencies working to build a better world, especially for the poor and oppressed.  ​

Father Ivo Segadaes
Ivo Segadaes works with our retired partner, Abbé Joseph Mabika, Director of Mysterium Fidei in Africa (MYFA) whose mission is to provide community based education, basic employment training and basic health services.  The organization also provides services such as transportation, distribution of materials, medical personnel and human resources. ​

Pamoja Solutions is a non-profit organization with charitable status in Canada (Charitable number: 856375563RR0001). ​