Accompanying to transform
Friday December 26, 2025
The experience of AEDJ in light of ‘Dilexi Te’.
In light of Pope Leo XIV’s exhortation Dilexi Te, Father Jean Christophe Tshimpaka, known as Tony, MSC, shares his experience of supporting marginalised young people in Mbandaka (DRC). He illustrates how Christian charity, expressed through tangible actions, can change lives and reinforce social unity.
In a city where many young girls, deprived of education, become mothers at a very early age and where some boys join street gangs (Kuluna), the Association Agir Ensemble pour le Développement de la Jeunesse (AEDJ), founded in 2020, offers vocational training such as sewing, carpentry, welding, masonry, IT, and others, and supports young people on their journey to independence. These workshops serve as places of rebuilding where everyone can regain confidence and dignity, inspired by Dilexi Te, which advocates for genuine love towards the most vulnerable.
According to Pope Leo XIV, the love of Christ is the foundation of all genuine social action. It is not merely a feeling, but a tangible commitment to others. Through AEDJ, training, supporting, and empowering young people becomes a real expression of love. Every young person trained, every trade mastered, and every job secured demonstrates this: the love of Christ manifests itself in action.
Vocational training goes beyond simply gaining technical skills; it helps rebuild confidence and independence. Young people learn to master a trade, take on responsibilities, and look to the future with hope. The workshops turn into places of transformation where shyness is replaced by expertise and pride in their work.
Collaboration among young people, trainers, families, and mentors fosters a sense of brotherhood.
For AEDJ, this approach supports holistic development: addressing material needs while fostering the growth of responsible and committed young people. Training becomes a tool for liberation and a means of social inclusion.
AEDJ’s work transforms people as much as it transforms their environment. Young people discover that they can be masters of their own destiny, regain confidence and live with dignity. Some, who were once marginalised or involved in risky activities, reintegrate into society and become role models for their peers.
This transformation also impacts the community: families regain hope, neighbourhoods become more peaceful, and a culture of responsibility and solidarity begins to take hold. AEDJ thus demonstrates that Christian charity, lived out through action, transforms both lives and the social fabric.
Father Tony’s pastoral support highlights the Church’s role as a mother and educator. She stands alongside marginalised young people, providing a safe space to learn, grow, and rebuild their lives. Meetings and follow-up activities build confidence and motivation. This charity combines social justice efforts by addressing imbalances, offering equal opportunities, and encouraging participation from everyone. As a result, young people receive technical, moral, and spiritual guidance that helps them move towards independence.
AEDJ’s experience demonstrates that recovery is a collective effort. Collaboration among young people, trainers, families, and mentors fosters a sense of brotherhood. In Mbandaka, working together means restoring hope and providing tangible opportunities. Fraternity becomes a catalyst for social and personal change, empowering each young person to become a responsible and dedicated citizen.
AEDJ, under the guidance of Father Tony, demonstrates that Christian charity practised through action can change lives, restore dignity, and foster a more compassionate society. Training, accompanying, and supporting young people is not just a social act but an expression of Christ’s love that can transform realities. In pursuing this mission, AEDJ continues to be a living example of Christ’s love amidst the challenging circumstances in Mbandaka.
‘Let us not love in word or speech, but in deed and in truth’ (1 Jn 3:18).
Jean Christophe Tshimpaka (Tony), MSC (UAF)
