Phone Repair Shop for Congo Freethinkers Youth Collective

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

Members: Mahmoud Amadou, Jean-Luc K., Pierre T., Alain M., Christian B., Dieudonné N., Félix K., Gaston M., Samuel T., Marie-Claire, Dorcas K., Esther N., Sarah B., Rachel L., Naomi Z. (Female)

Email: amadoumahmoud79@gmail.com

Phone: +243-855-004-287 

What does humanism mean to you?

Humanism is a radical act of love. Growing up in the Democratic Republic of Congo, our paths to atheism and secularism were deeply painful and lonely.

For instance, Mahmoud felt the heavy weight of isolation for years, terrified that questioning the dominant religious dogma would cost him his family and his future. Another member, Jean-Luc, faced severe threats of financial ruin and family banishment from his community the moment he stopped attending church, forcing him to live a double life just to finish his education. Marie-Claire realized she was a humanist through the quiet agony of keeping her skepticism a secret, realizing that countless other freethinkers around her were hiding in the closet out of sheer economic dependency and fear of total social exile.

When we finally found each other and formed this group, we realized that humanism means taking our survival into our own hands. It means understanding that no supernatural force is going to step in to save us from the backlash of rejecting dogma we have to save each other. To us, humanism means substituting religious dependency with human solidarity, reason, and mutual aid. It is the practice of creating a chosen family and building a tangible, economic safety net so that no one in our community ever has to choose between their mental freedom and their physical survival.

Project Description

The Congo Freethinkers Youth Collectives will establish a micro-social enterprise focused on smartphone and electronics repair, entirely managed by our student freethinker group. By utilizing a small, high-traffic rented kiosk space, we will provide low-cost, reliable repair services to the local community while training members in a high-demand trade. This project directly targets the root vulnerability of closeted freethinkers: economic dependency. By generating an independent, collective revenue stream, we create a vital financial safety net that can shield members from sudden homelessness or tuition loss if they face family rejection due to their humanist beliefs.

Budget - Please include links to verify the costs that you list.

Professional Phone Repair Toolkit & Screwdriver Set (Precision bits, spudgers, suction cups, anti-static wrist strap) — $35

Digital Multimeter & Soldering Iron Station (Adjustable temperature, solder wire, flux, and wick for logic board fixes) — $65

DC Power Supply (30V 5A) (For diagnostics, battery activation, and identifying short circuits) — $55

Initial Component Inventory (Replacement screens, charging ports, and replacement batteries for popular local phone models like Tecno, Infinix, and Itel) — $95 (Sourced via local electronic distributors)

Secure Storage Box & Kiosk Signage (Heavy-duty lockbox for customer devices and essential branding print) — $50

Total Requested: $300

Expected Income from Project, with Timeline

Months 1–2 (Setup & Launch): Focus will be on acquiring tools, setting up inventory, and running soft-launch promotions. Income expected to be nominal ($30–$50/month) as the shop builds its reputation.

Months 3–6 (Growth Phase): Averaging 3 to 5 repairs per day at a modest net profit margin of $4–$6 per repair. Expected net monthly income: $350 to $500 per month.

Month 6 onwards (Sustained Operations): The business expects to self-sustain completely, fully paying off operational costs while accumulating a reserve fund for the group.

Benefits to your Community

This project brings dual-layered benefits to our community. Externally, it provides a trustworthy, affordable tech repair hub for local students and families who rely on mobile connectivity for their education and livelihoods but cannot afford expensive manufacturer replacements. Internally, it protects human rights and mental well-being by transforming our vulnerable student group into an economically self-sufficient collective. It provides a blueprint showing that secular individuals can build constructive, ethical, and thriving communities based strictly on mutual support and practical reason.