UZIMA PROJECT
The Uzima Project is a humanitarian health initiative dedicated to bringing free medical care, health education, and hope to remote and underserved communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. “Uzima” means life in Swahili and that is exactly what this project stands for: restoring life, dignity, and well-being to those who have long been forgotten.
Many of these communities have suffered the devastating effects of conflict, poverty, and neglect. Clean water is scarce. Basic healthcare is out of reach. Preventable diseases continue to claim lives due to a lack of education and medical resources. The Uzima Project was created to change that.
Over the course of five years, from 2017 to 2021, Dr. Julien Tshibangu dedicated his life to helping the people of Kanyaruchinya, a remote village in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where a devastating skin disease was spreading rapidly.
This disease wasn’t caused by a virus or a parasite alone it was the result of poverty, neglect, and a severe lack of access to clean water and healthcare. Families struggled to maintain hygiene. There were no proper facilities to wash hands or clean wounds, and over time, this led to the rise of a painful, highly contagious skin condition that affected both children and adults.
Dr. Julien stepped in not only as a medical doctor but as a volunteer and humanitarian. He traveled regularly to this village, offering free medical care, treating the disease, and most importantly, educating people on the importance of hygiene and self-care. He taught them how to wash their hands properly, how to clean their homes and clothes, and how small, consistent health habits could protect them from further illness. He brought people together, showing them how to take care of the environment where they were living.
From 2017 until 2020, Dr. Julien continued this work with deep commitment. But in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the situation became more complicated. The existing skin disease spread even more rapidly but Dr. Julien didn’t give up on his mission and commitment. In covid time 2020 he started to collaborate with different medical health clinic to treat victims who couldn’t stand on their own.
Tragically, in 2021, Dr. Julien passed away. With his passing, the Uzima Project and the work he was doing in Kanyaruchinya came to a halt.
Today, I am stepping forward to revive this mission. As his child, I carry his vision in my heart. I want to continue what he started, to bring health, education, and dignity back to Kanyaruchinya and beyond.
Mission
Educate, protect, and empower people to live healthier lives. Provide medical care and medicine to people in rural war zones who had no access to hospitals or doctors.
As Dr. Julien’s child, I’ve made it my mission to ensure that his work continues that the Uzima Project keeps saving lives in that region. By collaborating with dedicated professionals in the medical field, I aim to revive and expand this vision, bringing health, hope, and dignity back to the people my father served with so much love.
Vision
He dreamed of a future where even the most remote and forgotten communities have access to basic healthcare, clean living conditions, and the knowledge needed to care for themselves and their families.
Dr. Julien believed that healing a nation starts with healing its people village by village, family by family. His vision was to: Bring life-saving healthcare to those trapped in conflict zones. Improve hygiene and disease prevention through education. Empower communities to take charge of their own health. Restore dignity and joy to people who had long lived in a conflict and neglect.
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