Appropriate Technologies for Congo, TAC Asbl is an NGO based in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the city of Kinshasa, composed of community members, volunteers and youth, sharing the same objective: to develop and support activities to improve health, domestic habitat of rural populations and public institutions in DRC, through the learning of appropriate technologies.

We focus on water, sanitation, and hygiene needs. We bring technical expertise, skills and tools to the field and stay as long as necessary to ensure that a project is efficient, cost-effective and sustainable. We work in partnership with local communities to determine the most sustainable and appropriate solutions for safe and abundant drinking water and sanitation. Our approach to ensuring safe water and sanitation for entire villages is to start by equipping schools and clinics as community centers.

Working in remote areas presents challenges. In the quest for appropriate technologies, we strive to remain flexible, adaptable, humble, and responsive to be effective. This requires a great deal of listening and developing respectful relationships with the villagers (the population). They are our teachers and guides as much as we are theirs.

What we do:

-WATER:We mobilize and assist village communities to build and manage their own water supply systems and ensure the continued availability of clean water for domestic consumption and use. Water integrated with sanitation facilities enables households to adopt safe sanitation practices and reduces the burden on women. Awareness, knowledge and processes to ensure the sustainability of water sources enable communities to become safe water sources in the long term.

-SANITATION AND HYGIENE:We motivate communities to adopt safe sanitation and hygiene behaviors and help build household infrastructure. Our integrated water and sanitation model reduces the incidence of water-borne diseases and lowers malnutrition rates, thereby safeguarding the health of children and families. Access to private and safe toilets and bathrooms with water gives women dignity and reduces the daily chore of fetching water.

-EDUCATION:We mentor youth and children in our training centers by teaching them a trade and we also help schools to provide high quality, state-of-the-art education to their students. Children return to their communities, serve as role models and inspire other families to educate their children. The special focus on girls results in equal or greater numbers of girls and boys in the school system.girls from communities that have traditionally had few educated girls complete their education.

-HOUSING AND TECHNOLOGY:We promote the use of appropriate and renewable technologies in the areas of energy and housing. Sustainable energy solutions bring water to homes in tribal villagesaway from the network and illuminate them.