Category: CONGO
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Who stole the innocence?~
Who stole the innocence?~ it seems that every bit of news these days uncovers a new scandal, a terrible lie or a gross misconduct by a person of authority. It is as though virtue and authority are melting away in a puff of disillusionment. Our only hope lives in the children. Can we please leave…
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When inspired children inspire
Demobilized child soldiers dancing in Goma, October 2009 Before the trip of “by art we live” to the Democratic Republic of Congo, an open line of communication and collaboration was opened with Jody Kennedy who teaches Middle School students in White Plains Public Schools, NY. Ms. Kennedy currently serves as a virtual trainer and consultant…
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A first care package goes to Safari in Congo
The first “by art we live” package is on its way to Safari in Congo! Safari is one of the child artists profiled by “by art we live” and his story is one that moved me so greatly. Safari (a self chosen name) is a 17 year old demobilized child soldier in the DRC. I…
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A photograph captures a lot more than a smile, a look or a moment in time
After coming back home from my trip to Congo, I keep going back in my mind to the thought of what the camera really captures. It is strange how many cultures believe truly that a photograph can capture part of their soul, and so they hesitate to let you photograph them for fear of losing…
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Congolese Advertising
On most city streets in Congo you see painted billboards, shop signs, and wall murals that are painted in a very colorful and unique style. Maybe it is for lack of money for printed ads and signs, but it makes for such a unique look that draws your eyes to the glaring ads that if…
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Goma, a city with two ghosts..
The people of Goma have to live with the presence of 2 ghosts haunting them every moment. The first one is Nyirangongo, the active volcano only 13 Km away, that destroyed about 40 % of the city in 2002, then erupted again in 2005. In the evenings it was so eerie to see the flames…
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Chukudu
The Chukudu, found mostly in the streets of Goma, is what people, mostly children use to transport hundreds of kilos from place to place. It is amazing to see them moving so fast around the crowded streets. They came with the thousands and thousands of refugees that used to cross the border from Rwanda to…
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Children are the hope for our future but who will give them the hope?
They must have hope to give hope. They cannot be struggling for survival and be expected to carry the weight and responsibility of the future. It just goes against nature not to nurture the young and helpless. They need us who have to give. And maybe just a very small thing can change a child’s…
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They have totally made my day!!
Today was my last day in the DRC, and I had planned to visit some child artists and some centers for children of the streets. For the first time since I got here things seemed to be all going wrong. Cars coming late, information miscommunicated, child not at appointment… you name it. By the end…