On July 26, 2013 HEAL Africa, its partners and various authorities of Goma paraded to celebrate the Order of the Mayor of Goma renaming a street “LYN LUSI street”. This is the urban Decree 3072/02IB719/MG dated July 11, 2013. The parade followed the newly renamed street, almost 2 km long (from the Hope circle (BDEGL) up to the INSTIGO crossroads), ending at HEAL Africa where the event continued with speeches, dances and testimonies.

WHAT PROMPTED THIS NEW NAME?

It was all about publicly recognizing the work of Lyn LUSI, co-founder of HEAL Africa.
An English national, Lyn arrived in the DRC at the age of 20 as a teacher and a missionary sent by a Baptist church and she married Congolese Doctor Kasereka Muhindo LUSI Jonathan, with whom she spent 42 years. Her life is characterized by a variety of charity work benefiting the most vulnerable, especially those in eastern DRC.

Passionate and keen to live alongside the patients, to heal and develop communities, Lyn co-founded HEAL AFRICA (Health Education community Action Leadership) in 2000. Through this organization, she will bring hope to thousands of people in a DRC afflicted by repeated wars.

Raped and rejected women have found their place in their communities, children without assistance received affection … “Fatherless and motherless, I was an abandoned child … having left my birthplace (eastern province) for Goma. Lyn became my mother, she paid for my education and after her departure her actions continue in my life, even to this day ” testified Jeannette, a 17 years old girl.

March 17, 2012, cancer gave the opportunity to Lyn Lusi to leave this place for a better world she spoke of with joy, hope and curiosity until her last minute.

Lyn Lusi’s legacy is and will be felt through the continuous work of HEAL Africa. A man named Roberto testified: “during the war between the M23 and the FARDC in Goma in November 2012, my daughter was hit by a bullet in the abdomen. It was such a complicated case that HEAL Africa transferred my child to another country… I had nothing to pay, HEAL Africa provided for everything. Today my daughter is healthy to my big surprise and gratitude.”

A WORK WORTH OF A TRIBUTE …

16 months after the disappearance of Lyn Lusi the Mayor, Kubuya Ndoole Nasson performed “the order of the provincial governor” asking him to make this very special person a highlight in North Kivu, dedicated in her name one long avenue in the chief town of the province.
“It is rare to find a person to leave the joy and wealth of the Western life to live with the poor for many years,” insisted Mr. Mayor Nasoon Kubuya, adding nobody can deny the work left by Lyn LUSI.

Works initiated by Lyn through HEAL AFRICA is a tertiary level hospital, and a holistic approach to community development by the way of multiple community projects. Actions of HA are now in six provinces of the DRC