9th Jun 2026 12:23:45 PM The Charities | The Children | Dorah Mokoena | Health | Schools / Training | Community | Regional Reports | UMashesha Home Ado Balombo Bambula Agnes Wabiwa Amanda Simanga Amina Mahamat Amukelani Dube Andani Mphaphuli Anele Nyongwana Babalwa Debele Babalwa Mfengu Baby Babongile Bafana Nzima Basheeba Worlotoe Benoni Boipelo Mosegedi Bongani Madlala Bongani Phakati Bonginkosi Brendan Busisiwe C Caroline Gichuki Chris M Clara Deon Slabbert Emmanuel Lawal Esihle Evelyn Minto Essono's Feleng Franklin Fursy Mugobe Gabriel Gabriel C Gamuchirai Vanessa Gohodza Gloria Gontise Mogotsi Habiba Hatendi Simbe Helen Matondo Hlumelo Dondashe Irene Peta Jabulani Malungane Jacques Abrahams Janine Barends Jose Mvula Kagiso Maphoso Kagiso Mathebula Kagiso Mphuti Karabo Thebedi Kedibone Kenyan Kezia Fern Samuel Kjetil Sandivk Havnen Koketso Sekuru Lathlehele Lee Branco Liane Grond Lida Basson Loide Londeka Ngidi Maje Mbali Michelle Ecape Michelle Mthenjwa Mimi Mlungisi Mohau Qumpula Mpho Maja Munashe Mungo Nete Musa Zwane Musiwa Neliswe Radebe Nelson Tsabalala Nkosi Ncube Nkululeko Nkululeko Jnr Nomthandazo Shongwe NonMireille Nosihle Nthabiseng Nyakallo Oscar Mlondolozi Hadebe Perlucia Phillip Lesingaran Phindile Piet Moloja Rachid Reagan Rien ne Dit Rolivhuwa Matodzi Rose Wambua Rumbi Saloma Aphanye Sameh Chiboub Samkelo Somi Samukelo Radebe Seetsa Mosoma Seif Seiso Selamawit Shaun Shaun Hart Shirley Seqobane Sicelo Simamkele Sithembiso Hlatshwayo SiyaAndile Siyabonga Morwasetla Siyabonga Nokumbi Siyamthanda Sizwe Steven Marakeng Mpyana Sthabile Sunday Mukaza Tapera Jani Tavonga Tembakazi Tendani Yaka Thando Thapelo Thingo Thomas Thulani Nhleko Tshepiso Maimela Tshepiso Sekuru Vhahangwele Matodz Violet Chibvura Vivian Vusi Mathibela William B Xavier Yassine Ben Ali Zanele Jeza Zianda Ndlovu Zipho Zwane Balombo Bambula English text; French text below. In December 2009 Bambula Balombo wrote to the charity from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, asking for help. The 27 year old young man was terribly burned when he was 23 years old, when the car he was in caught fire. The photo on the bed was taken ten days after the incident, as he lay in a coma. As the DRC does not remotely have the capability to restore this young man’s appearance, Children of Fire hopes that the former colonial power Belgium might offer to assist. Our first priority would be to reduce the keloiding on his ears. This is Bambula’s story: I was born on 21st May 1982 and I was burned at the age of 23 years 5 months, on 15th November 2005 at 2 a.m. in a car explosion. After the death of my father, my uncle took me in, but under not very good conditions, as I was forced to quit my studies in order to find a means of survival. I was already driving my uncle’s car at 18, and after the death of my uncle, I had to look for a job, which I found as a personal driver for a doctor. Briefly, I worked for six months without a problem, then one Saturday, outside my normal working hours, my boss’s young brother (Luc) asked me to go with him to a party. I accepted, and we left at about 9pm, to get to the area in which the party was held. Luc made a phone call and told me that he had called the friend who had invited him so that he could guide us to the exact place where the party was. After a few minutes, his friend joined him where we were, they walked away to chat a bit , and after that Luc told me that we were all going to pick up his friend’s girlfriend. We left, but several metres before we reached the street where the girlfriend lived, the car broke down. Luc’s friend asked us to stay there and fix the car, and he went off to get his girlfriend. When he came back, he asked if the car was fixed, and I told him the car wouldn’t go. Luc and his friend told me to do what I could to get us to the party with the car, whatever its condition, and I did my best to start it. When we were going back to the place where the party was being held, after 1km the car stopped again, then Luc and his friend got out to push it and asked me to start it again, and the car started. After 5m I heard an explosion and there were flames on the driver’s side. As the car was a Toyota Litehiace, with a right-hand steering wheel, the flames engulfed the interior, and me too. As the car was going slowly, I jumped out but it was too late, and as it was 2.00am there was nobody around to help. Luc and his friend did not help – I saved myself, and miraculously I came to a gutter where the street children gave me first aid. Luc ran away but the street children caught his friend and forced him to take me to a nearby Polyclinic where I fell into a coma. Luckily, I had given one of the street children the phone number of a member of my family, to tell them what had happened. In the morning, the family came to the hospital, and arranged for me to be transferred to the teaching clinic in Kinshasa, where I remained and was treated for a year. After that, I was at home for 2 years, undergoing regular physiotherapy. As my health has still not improved, I am forced to see help so that I may get the proper care because I have suffered for four years. J’ai été brulé le 15/11/2005 à 2h00' Je me suis brulé dans une explosion de voiture J’ai 27 ans Je suis né le 21 Mais 1982 Après la mort de mon père mon oncle m’avait hébergé mais les conditions n’étaient pas favorables pour cela, j’étais obligé d’interrompre mes études pour chercher de quoi survivre. Je conduisais la voiture de mon oncle déjà à l’âge de 18 ans et après la mort de mon oncle je me suis fait l’obligation de cherche un emploi que j’ai trouvé chez un médecin comme chauffeur personnel. Pour la brève histoire j’ai travaillé pendant 6 mois sans problèmes un certain samedi en dehors de mes heures de travail le petit frère de mon boss (Luc) m’avait demande de l’accompagner à une fête j’accepte, c’était vers 21h nous sommes partie, arriver au quartier où dévait avoir lieu la fête, Luc fait un appel téléphonique et me dit qu’il appel celui qui la inviter (son ami) pour nous guider a l’endroit exact de la fête après quelques minutes son ami nous rejoint là où nous étions, ils se retirent pour causer en particulier après le causerie Luc m’avait dit qu’on part ensemble pour prendre la copine de son ami ; nous sommes parti mais quelques mètres avant la rue où habité la copine, la voiture tomba en panne, l’ami de Luc nous demanda de rester réparer la voiture et il est parti prendre sa copine. De son retour, il me demanda si la voiture était réparée et j’ai répondu que la voiture ne pouvait pas rouler. Luc et son ami me dit de faire mon possible pour qu’on arrive à la fête avec la voiture malgré son état, j’avais fait de mon mieux pour la démarrer ; de notre retour à l'endroit où devait avoir lieu la fête, après 1 Km la voiture retomba en panne alors Luc et son ami sont descendus pour la pousser et me demanda de la redémarrer et la voiture redémarra. Après 5m, j’ai entendu une explosion accompagnée de flamme au niveau de la cabine du chauffeur. Comme la voiture était de marque Toyota Litehiace, volant droit, la flamme avait envahie toute la cabine et moi y compris. Comme la voiture roule à une faible vitesse j’avais sauté mais c’était trop tard, la flamme m’avait brûlé comme c’était vers 2h du matin il n'y avait aucun secours. Luc et son ami n’ont pas intervenus je me suis battu seul et miraculeusement je me suis retrouver dans un caniveau où les enfants de la rue m’ont donné le 1er secours Luc s’est enfui mais son ami saisi par les enfants de la rue qui ont obligé à ce dernier de me conduire à une Polyclinique proche où j’étais entré en coma. Par prudence, j’avais donné le numéro de téléphone d’un membre de ma famille à un enfant de la rue pour transmettre ce qui s'est passé. Le matin la famille est venue à l’hôpital, elle a pris des dispositions pour me transférer à la clinique universitaire de Kinshasa où j’avais fait une année de traitement, après la clinique j’avais fait 2 ans à la maison sous la cunesithérapie continu. Comme ma santé ne s’améliorait pas toujours, j’étais obligé de chercher de l’aide pour que je puisse avoir de soins appropriés pour mon cas parce que je suis souffrant pendant 4 ans. This material is Copyright © The Dorah Mokoena Charitable Trust and/or Children of Fire , 1998-2026. 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