I am so grateful to partner with Misangu Byemba Francois, founder of the Build the Resilience in Congo organization, in order to provide you with the opportunity to save a direly needed grass-roots orphanage/cultural center that serves the needs of former child-soldiers and young women survivors of sexual abuse. This extraordinary organization located in the poverty stricken city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo is a true sanctuary; serving hundreds as a source of nourishment, education, stability, healing, empowerment and inspiration. Misangu Byemba Francois and his dedicated team are literally sheltering, feeding and caring for children, adolescents and young adults who have survived the atrocity of human trafficking and have lost parents and loved ones due to the violence of armed conflict.
Unfortunately Misangyu was taken captive again for 9 day in June, 2020. His captors demanded to know the whereabouts of former child soldiers that he has helped in the past. They beat him and stole everything that he had. Thankfully Misangyu survived and has returned to full health. Despite this tragedy Misangu is steadfast in his mission and is bravely continuing on as a leader and mentor in his community. Because of this difficulty, along with the Covid  challenges the Build the Resilience in Congo Organization/Cultural Center is on the brink of collapse. Luckly only $1500 dollars will secure it's survival for another 10 months. The individuals that the Build the Resilience in Congo organization serve have lost so much already,  let's do what we can to keep them from loosing this cultural center too.


My name is Boyd Stout I am an expressive art's therapist that works with children and families in South Carolina in the United States. I would like to tell you more about how I came to find out about the Build the Resilience in Congo organization, but because of the urgency of the situation I think it best if you hear directly from Misangu first, here are his words:

"I am Misangu Byemba François, 28 years old. I am the coordinator and founder of the association: Build the Resilience in Congo (BRIC RDC), an organization that works for the rights and protection of children, young children former soldiers, young women as well as women victims of sexual violence. through the promotion of activities that contribute to community rebuilding and fostering resilience within our communities that have been  affected by repeated wars. The social assistance center (cultural center) provides many cultural activities to train young children in many professional areas in order to create an environment that protects the rights of children and women. This cultural center receives more than 250 children per week for activities including art therapy, theatre, drumming, dancing and auto mechanics
that helps to heal and  fight against the development of trauma; as most of the children came from armed groups. More than 130 young  women and 100 women attend the welfare center and learn creative art, income-generating activities and also the initiation into female leadership.

I myself, Misangu Byemba François, am a former child soldier. I was rescued in 2006 after a year in an armed group. I was rescued by an association https://retgermany.de/tag/child-soldiers/  in the province of South Kivu. I  received training in art therapy, theater, drum percussion, and car mechanics.  I now work for the rights of children. I was inspired to create the BRIC,  which works in the field to save other children in the armed groups.

Recently I was attacked and kidnapped by an unknown group of people. I went  missing for 9 days at the end of June 2020.  These people took me away and stole everything from me (money, passport, telephone, computer etc.) After this period I stayed in the hospital to have my health examined and now I am  alive and in good health, except that this situation made the organization unable to cover some basic needs, including:  the payment of rent for the cultural center space and  work office,  school supplies for the ten orphaned children supervised by the assistance program for the vulnerable. This is why we launched this fundraising campaign to help former child soldiers, orphan children, young women and women to receive training within the  Build the Resilience in Congo organization."


Boyd here again. Many of you are aware that just over a year ago I created a gofundme campaign to raise enough in order to travel with a group https://www.theatrereconciliation.org led by Frederique Lecomte to the Democratic Republic of Congo in July 2019 with the intention of using  Drama and Dance therapy with former child soldiers.  Our team worked in creative collaboration with these young individuals to create a theatrical production that served as a vehicle to give voice to these survivors as well as educate the local communities about the reality of human trafficking by armed militias. We performed in several villages in and around the city of Goma. It was one of the most powerful and heart-opening  experiences of my life.

It was through this project that I met Misangu. One day after rehearsal he took me and two other team members to see his cultural center. We wizzed through the city by motorbike-taxi deep into the  back dirt-roads where we came to a gated compound with bobbed wire. The gate was unlocked for us  and we were able to pass through into the cultural center: it was a beautiful open space with a red lava-rock gravel floor. Along with many from the local neighborhood we were treated to an amazing traditional African drum and dance performance, and then a small dramatic performance that was intended to educate children about drinking clean water and washing hands. I saw that they had made many water filters for the community. 
I was overcome with admiration for this group of young community leaders that were working so passionately to make so much from so little, in order to better their society. This was a place of real compassion. I stood witness to the beacon of hope that the Build the Resilience in Congo cultural center truly is. 
It is for that reason I have been compelled to ask you to contribute what ever you can to keep this Dimond in the rough alive.


What we are asking:

$400 to pay the rent for the cultural center space for 10 months
$600 to pay for school supplies for 10 orphaned former child soldiers for one year
$500 to pay the first term school fees for 10 orphaned former child soldiers.

The money donated to this campaign will go through the Gofundme me platform and then into my bank account(Boyd Stout) , at that point I will Western Union the money directly to Misangyu Byemba Francois: Founder of the BRIC organization.
Our goal is to raise this money before the school fees are due the beginning of October, 2020. Your contribution is so very appreciated. I will guarantee a personal message of gratitude from Misangu and the Build the Resilience in Congo organization along with follow up's about the center's progress from myself to everyone that donates.
 
Thank you!



One Love!