Transform Pain to Power: Biennale for Goma

Art for Justice: Emergency Support for Goma, DRC

Hosted by Mboko Lopiki & The Tunga Art Lab

Goma, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, is facing a devastating crisis. Ongoing armed conflict has forced tens of thousands from their homes. Artists, families, and entire neighborhoods are struggling to survive.

Originally, we set out to raise funds for a 2026 Contemporary Art Biennale—a dream rooted in healing through creativity. But right now, that dream is on hold. The people we hoped to celebrate through art are in urgent need of food, shelter, and safety.

We’re asking for your help.

New Goal: $3,500 for Emergency Support

This fundraiser now focuses on immediate, tangible aid for artists and their families who are displaced and in danger. Your donation will help with:

Emergency Food Relief

$25 = one week of basic food supplies for a family.

Temporary Shelter & Rent Assistance

$50 = covers temporary housing for a displaced family for one week.

Medical & Hygiene Kits

$15 = basic first aid and hygiene needs for one household.

Art as Healing

Even in conflict, Mboko and The Tunga Art Lab continue to offer movement and art workshops for children—creating moments of calm, expression, and resilience.

Why This Matters

The crisis in Goma is not just local—it's tied to global systems of exploitation. For decades, foreign corporations have profited from Congo’s natural resources like coltan and cobalt—essential to our smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles—while leaving devastation in their wake.

Art helped us tell that story. Now, survival must come first.

We believe in mutual aid. We believe in solidarity. We believe that even a small donation can make a real difference.

About the Organizer

Mboko Lopiki is a dance artist and activist from Goma. He’s the founder of The Tunga Art Lab and the Maendeleo Dance Project, which has used art to support and uplift street children and war-affected youth. Today, he is on the ground in Goma, distributing aid and creating spaces for hope.

About Mboko Lopiki

Mboko Lopiki is a dance artist and community organizer from Goma. He is the founder of The Tunga Art Lab and the Maendeleo Dance Project, which has used movement and performance to empower street children and trauma-affected youth. A recipient of the Prince Claus Seed Award, Mboko is now focused on helping his neighbors survive displacement and war.

About the Fundraiser Organizer

My name is Luanna Peterson, and I’m based in Hawai'i. I’ve worked in education and international collaboration for many years, and I’ve had the privilege of partnering with Mboko Lopiki on cultural exchange and mutual aid projects via my community project Weaving Our Stories. I am organizing this fundraiser on his behalf, and all donations will go directly toward his emergency relief work in Goma.

Funds will be transferred securely through trusted and verifiable channels, and we will share updates as often as possible to show how your support is making an impact.