Tenke Fungurume Mining is committed to raising the standard of living of local communities as part of its US$31 million project (Cahier des Charges). Nearly 400,000 people will benefit directly.

"We've made a commitment to the community that we'll meet our specifications 100%," says Professor Edouard Swana, Director of Community Development, the department leading the implementation of the specifications. Professor Swana is firm in his words every time he talks about the specifications. This was the case at the last quarterly feedback meeting, which brought together TFM and the two local development committees of the Fungurume commune and the Bayeke chiefdom, in the presence of the Lualaba provincial health division.

After a complete overview of the projects in the specifications, it was time to present one of the flagship projects, the Fungurume General Referral Hospital. With a capacity of 200 beds, this giant medical structure will offer not only comfort, but also high-quality healthcare. It will offer everything from emergency services, pharmacy, gynecology and obstetrics, pediatrics, internal medicine and surgery, to specialized services such as physiotherapy, dentistry, medical imaging and a contagious diseases isolation ward.

It took a full year for the feasibility study to be finalized. It was a major undertaking. TFM's Community Social Fund had to come to the rescue of the process to finance this stage, which was carried out by Building Concept, a local design office. The work is of the highest quality. The hospital will have three levels, spacious parking lots, pedestrian entrances and, with a futuristic touch, a solar energy relay capacity to ensure total autonomy in the event of disruption to the electricity supply.

Dr. Daniel Masonji, representative of the head of the provincial health division, hails TFM's contribution to this project: "It's a great first in this part of the region. For a long time, this health zone had a referral health center. Now, with TFM's financial contribution and political will, we can hope that this project will become a reality and that the health zone will be equipped with a second-level structure that meets the standards. As presented, it's really a modern hospital with all the basic services as well as specialty services".

At this size, the hospital will serve the entire Fungurume health zone. The geographical limits of the Fungurume health zone far exceed those of the concession. This means that over 400,000 people will benefit directly.

The general referral hospital is one of the largest structures to be built during this five-year period, along with the Institut Supérieur des Techniques Appliquées, the technical secondary school, primary and nursery schools, health centers and health posts throughout the concession, and support for the fight against epidemics, the rehabilitation of over 100 km of farm feeder roads, the introduction of the Songhaï approach, an integrated, agricultural-based community development technique, the drilling of over 70 drinking water wells, water supply in Fungurume, infrastructure for vulnerable populations, women's training, and much more. In short, all sectors of community life will be affected. The aim is not only to meet the immediate needs of the population, but also to build sustainable communities capable of taking care of themselves and contributing to the development of the Democratic Republic of Congo.