Papy Muntomosi realizing a dream

Since 1960 the area now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has dealt with civil unrest, war, genocide, corruption and mismanagement.  Sparsely populated in relation to its area (central Africa), the DRC is home to a vast potential of natural resources and mineral wealth. Nevertheless, it is one of the poorest countries in the world, with per capita annual income of about $120 in 2005.  It is in this country where Coffeyville Community College International student, Papy Muntomosi grew up. 

Muntomosi grew up in the capital of the DRC, Kinshasa.  Kinshasa is the third largest city in Africa.  Like most children in the region between the ages of 4 and 15, Muntomosi was homeless. 

“Parents make about $35 a month and can’t provide for food, health care or schooling,” said Muntomosi.  “The children do their best to survive.  Many prefer to stay in the city.  Many die of Malaria due to all the mosquitoes in Africa.”

The population of DRC was estimated at 58 million in 2004. As many as 250 ethnic groups have been identified.  About 50 % of the Congolese population is Christian, predominantly Roman Catholic.  According to estimates made in 2000, 41.7% of the population has no schooling, 42.2% has primary schooling, 15.4% has secondary schooling, and 0.7% has university schooling. At all levels of education, males greatly outnumber females. The largest state-run universities are the University of Kinshasa, the University of Lubumbashi, and the University of Kisangani. The elite continue to send their children abroad to be educated, primarily in Western Europe.

Muntomosi did not come from an elite family, but from a very young age he understood the need for education and he had the drive to make it happen.

“Since I was a kid I worked to try and get something to pay for my education and health,” said Muntomosi.  “I wasn’t sick so all I worked for was my education.  It was difficult because no one could accept me to work at the age of 10 because I was too young.  Some good people would give me money, food to eat and had me stay with them for a couple of days and do some work.”

Muntomosi faced other challenges with attaining education because he did not have a permanent address or an emergency contact.  Some of his admissions were rejected.  He finally graduated from secondary (high school) at the age of 20 after missing almost two years of schooling.  Muntomosi had always planned to continue his education at the University level, but it would take more money.

The official language of the DRC is French and although Muntomosi learned grammatical English in school, he taught himself how to speak the language by reading English books and by going to the public Internet café, using the headphones and visiting free English language websites.  Muntomosi also asked Americans to help him learn the language. 

Muntomosi said everything is “down” in his country, “the economy, education and it is a very poor country.  It is starting to come up.” 

In January of 2001 following the assassination of President Laurent Kabila, his son Joseph took over the country and began reversing many of his father’s policies.  A transitional constitution was adopted in April of 2003 followed by a new constitution in February 2006. In June of 2003 Kabila announced a transitional government lineup.  In June 2006, the DRC held its first free, democratic, multi-party election in more than 40 years.  In November 2006, the Congolese Supreme Court declared President Joseph Kabila the winner and he was inaugurated in December 2006.  The DRC legislature held its first session on September 22, 2006 and on February 26, 2007, Prime Minister Antoine Gizenga and the new Congolese cabinet formally took office.  In May 2007, Kengo wa Dongo was elected Senate President. 

Muntomosi hopes to one day work for this new government and perhaps teach.  Following secondary school, Muntomosi worked for four years for the U.S. Government at the United States Agency of International Development (USAID).  He worked mainly as a driver.  There he met an executive officer and that, combined with a recommendation by an American Catholic Priest, led him to resign to come to school in the U.S. 

He began looking for a place to study in the U.S. and was mostly looking for Universities as the “college” in the DRC is a type of high school.  He was struggling to fulfill the requirements of the U.S. Universities, mainly tuition costs and English as Second Language (ESL) requirements.  As he learned the U.S. higher education system he began looking at colleges.  When he Googled a friend studying in the U.S. last year and told him that he was looking for a cheaper college, he was told to look in Kansas and the Midwest.  When he Googled Kansas colleges; he found Coffeyville Community College.