Kitoko Oyo - A Book about the Beauty of Congo
Donation protected
The Project
‘Kitoko Oyo’ - Lingala for ‘This Beauty’ - will explore the beautiful, untold stories of strength, resilience, and hope found within the Congolese people. These stories will be presented in a stunning photo book that is designed to be used with interactive links connecting the reader to online interactive content. Where the book will tell the core of the story with images and selected passages, the online content gives the reader more depth by instantly viewing entire interviews, more images, connected stories, and further information. Creating a multi- platform, immersive experience for the reader will forge a deeper connection to the stories that are being told telling and, ultimately, to the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Pappy Orion, Ryan Carter, and Coby Jones are raising money to tell the stories of beauty and hope in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The money we will raise here will go towards funding two asset collection trips to Congo and marketing and publishing expenses we incur in creating this multimedia project. All proceeds of the project will go towards Focus Congo , an organization fostering leadership in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Follow this project:
Instagram: @kitoko_oyo
Twitter: @kitoko_oyo
Facebook: kitokooyoproject
Website: www.kitoko-oyo.com
If you have questions about our timeline and budget or want more information about our project, please contact us at [email redacted]
The Trips
In May and October 2019, the team will travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo to collect stories, videos, and images to be used in the book and website. These trips will incur expenses that we need to cover. Our first goal is to pay a fair wage to the Congolese people on the ground who will help us facilitate interviews, make connections, and carry equipment for the duration of our stay. We strongly believe in providing financial support for the work that will be done by our friends in Congo. Our second goal is to cover the cost of the trip. Airfare, accommodation, transportation, visa fees, and food for the duration of our stay.
Samples of the Book
Picture yourself reading about Ombeni. Ombeni is a young 17 year old man from Bukavu who became the sole guardian of his younger siblings, as well as the foster parent to for several other children orphaned through conflict. As you look at the images and read his story in the book, you will be able to connect more deeply with Ombeni by simply scanning a QR code on your smartphone. Through this link, you will easily view a VR (virtual reality) tour of the small, 2 room hut all nine of Ombeni’s children call home. Moving further through Ombeni’s profile online, you will visit his small work place where he supplies a place for people to come to and charge their phones. This provides a small income that is desperately needed for Ombeni and his family. You will also follow the children as they walk to school in the morning through the paths of the village. Finally, you will watch the full interview with Ombenni and listen to him share his future hopes and dreams as he expands on the information in the book in his own voice. When you go back to the book itself, both your understanding of, and connection with Ombeni has totally changed. No longer is he just a face in a book, Ombeni feels like a new friend.
Rewards / What You Get
A contribution of $25 will entitle you to a postcard print from the Kitoko Oyo project*
A contribution of $75 will entitle you to a hand made bag from Kitoko Oyo participants in the DRC*
A contribution of $250 will entitle you to a 10"x12" print of your choice from the Kitoko Oyo collection*
A contribution of $1000 will entitle you to a 10"x12" mounted & signed print of your choice from the Kitoko Oyo collection*
A contribution of $5000 will entitle you to a signed copy of the finished book "Kitoko Oyo; The Quiet Strength of Congo"*
A contribution above $7500 will entitle you to a meeting with the project founders and the opportunity to discuss a personalized reward.*
Project Goals
1. Provide an international platform for the people of the DRC to reclaim their voice and share stories of hope
Instead of stories focused on intergenerational cycles of poverty and despair told from an outsider’s perspective, Kitoko Oyo provides a space for Congolese people to tell their own stories in their own voice, with their own sense of beauty, hope, strength shining through. There is still hope and beauty in the DRC. By bringing balance to the narrative about the DRC, we will show that this beautify country is far from hopeless.
2. Showcase the beauty of the DRC
Kitoko Oyo will be a platform for the local people to share their stories that showcase beauty of the landscape and the joy found within the Congolese culture. The DRC is a beautiful country, blessed with stunning natural resources that are unmatched anywhere else in the world. Home to the world's second largest river and to the second largest tropical rainforest, the Congo Basin is home to over 1,000 bird species, more than 400 fish species, three of the world’s five great apes, and over 10,000 species of plants. Rare species of primates, active volcanoes and boiling lava lakes add to the spelondor only found in the DRC.
3. Provide a resource to the International Community
The worlds media is oversaturated with negative and destructive stories and images from the DRC. Ebola, rape as a weapon of war, conflict minerals are the only stories told in the international media. Images of starving babies crying, women beaten and scared, child soldiers without hope are not the only images of the DRC that should exist. Kitoko Oyo will provide an alternative narrative to the work being done by NGOs, the UN and other organizations that work in the DRC. Without hope there will be no change, and Kitoko Oyo will provide that hope to the international community.
‘Kitoko Oyo’ - Lingala for ‘This Beauty’ - will explore the beautiful, untold stories of strength, resilience, and hope found within the Congolese people. These stories will be presented in a stunning photo book that is designed to be used with interactive links connecting the reader to online interactive content. Where the book will tell the core of the story with images and selected passages, the online content gives the reader more depth by instantly viewing entire interviews, more images, connected stories, and further information. Creating a multi- platform, immersive experience for the reader will forge a deeper connection to the stories that are being told telling and, ultimately, to the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Pappy Orion, Ryan Carter, and Coby Jones are raising money to tell the stories of beauty and hope in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The money we will raise here will go towards funding two asset collection trips to Congo and marketing and publishing expenses we incur in creating this multimedia project. All proceeds of the project will go towards Focus Congo , an organization fostering leadership in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Follow this project:
Instagram: @kitoko_oyo
Twitter: @kitoko_oyo
Facebook: kitokooyoproject
Website: www.kitoko-oyo.com
If you have questions about our timeline and budget or want more information about our project, please contact us at [email redacted]
The Trips
In May and October 2019, the team will travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo to collect stories, videos, and images to be used in the book and website. These trips will incur expenses that we need to cover. Our first goal is to pay a fair wage to the Congolese people on the ground who will help us facilitate interviews, make connections, and carry equipment for the duration of our stay. We strongly believe in providing financial support for the work that will be done by our friends in Congo. Our second goal is to cover the cost of the trip. Airfare, accommodation, transportation, visa fees, and food for the duration of our stay.
Samples of the Book
Picture yourself reading about Ombeni. Ombeni is a young 17 year old man from Bukavu who became the sole guardian of his younger siblings, as well as the foster parent to for several other children orphaned through conflict. As you look at the images and read his story in the book, you will be able to connect more deeply with Ombeni by simply scanning a QR code on your smartphone. Through this link, you will easily view a VR (virtual reality) tour of the small, 2 room hut all nine of Ombeni’s children call home. Moving further through Ombeni’s profile online, you will visit his small work place where he supplies a place for people to come to and charge their phones. This provides a small income that is desperately needed for Ombeni and his family. You will also follow the children as they walk to school in the morning through the paths of the village. Finally, you will watch the full interview with Ombenni and listen to him share his future hopes and dreams as he expands on the information in the book in his own voice. When you go back to the book itself, both your understanding of, and connection with Ombeni has totally changed. No longer is he just a face in a book, Ombeni feels like a new friend.
Rewards / What You Get
A contribution of $25 will entitle you to a postcard print from the Kitoko Oyo project*
A contribution of $75 will entitle you to a hand made bag from Kitoko Oyo participants in the DRC*
A contribution of $250 will entitle you to a 10"x12" print of your choice from the Kitoko Oyo collection*
A contribution of $1000 will entitle you to a 10"x12" mounted & signed print of your choice from the Kitoko Oyo collection*
A contribution of $5000 will entitle you to a signed copy of the finished book "Kitoko Oyo; The Quiet Strength of Congo"*
A contribution above $7500 will entitle you to a meeting with the project founders and the opportunity to discuss a personalized reward.*
Project Goals
1. Provide an international platform for the people of the DRC to reclaim their voice and share stories of hope
Instead of stories focused on intergenerational cycles of poverty and despair told from an outsider’s perspective, Kitoko Oyo provides a space for Congolese people to tell their own stories in their own voice, with their own sense of beauty, hope, strength shining through. There is still hope and beauty in the DRC. By bringing balance to the narrative about the DRC, we will show that this beautify country is far from hopeless.
2. Showcase the beauty of the DRC
Kitoko Oyo will be a platform for the local people to share their stories that showcase beauty of the landscape and the joy found within the Congolese culture. The DRC is a beautiful country, blessed with stunning natural resources that are unmatched anywhere else in the world. Home to the world's second largest river and to the second largest tropical rainforest, the Congo Basin is home to over 1,000 bird species, more than 400 fish species, three of the world’s five great apes, and over 10,000 species of plants. Rare species of primates, active volcanoes and boiling lava lakes add to the spelondor only found in the DRC.
3. Provide a resource to the International Community
The worlds media is oversaturated with negative and destructive stories and images from the DRC. Ebola, rape as a weapon of war, conflict minerals are the only stories told in the international media. Images of starving babies crying, women beaten and scared, child soldiers without hope are not the only images of the DRC that should exist. Kitoko Oyo will provide an alternative narrative to the work being done by NGOs, the UN and other organizations that work in the DRC. Without hope there will be no change, and Kitoko Oyo will provide that hope to the international community.
Fundraising team (2)
Coby Jones
Organizer
Washington D.C., DC
Orion Boyinkere Rwizibuka
Beneficiary
Ryan Carter
Team member
