May 2007
Street Children Awareness Project
The project is completed... This document is a powerful and helpful tool for all those planning to do a presentation on The Democratic Republic of Congo. Feel free to contact me if you are organizing an event such as fundraiser, an educational seminar, a mission event on Congo, or simply if you would like to raise awareness about the state of the DR of Congo. Send me detailed information about your event; upon review, we will then examine how we can positively impact your audience a new visual dimension on the future of children in Congo.
I have been to about four churches and three universities to show the documentary, and the response has been very positive as people have been touched and asked how they can help I have been directing them towards the www.drcongochildren site. We posted a list of few organizations that are currently working with street children in the DRC. I am currently exploring about starting an NGO to better serve the needs of the local NGOs in Kinshasa. For the fall calendar, there are number of colleges and Universities that have show interest in hosting events to screen the documentary. please refer to the calendar on www.drcongochildren.org for more details.
Press Release
We are announcing to the Congolese communities and the International community that a new documentary untitled "The Street Children of Kinshasa" will be made available for viewing to conferences, fundraisers, prayer meetings, etc... upon request made to Anointed Melody in Raleigh NC.
This 40 minutes documentary is released solely as a tool to raise awareness about the jeopardized future of an entire generation in the DRC. On a recent trip to Kinshasa, I was so touched by the daily plight of the children and disturbed by the proportions that this crisis has taken. If no action is planned or undertaken by the diaspora and the international communities, statistics show that DRC has the potential of becoming a nation with highest rates of uneducated citizens.
We all bear the responsibility for the future of this nation that has the potential to be a regional power. The most difficult situation in the DRC now is neither the economy, nor the political climate or the number of all those canidates aspiring to be in leadership position of the country. The war has certainly imposed a heavy human toll and women have endured unacceptable degrading and humiliating treatment from the militias, army and rebels factions. From our analysis, the most difficult position in which one could be in the DRC is just being a child.
This documentary will give the viewer a brief overview of the history of the vast land of Congo from the post-colonial era to the present day. We made an attempt to link the current situation of Congo to the horrid historical legacy left by Leopold II. We agree with a statement that some observers have made: it seems that we have not freed ourselves yet from our troubled history. The documentary features photographs and video images taken on my recent trip, images from several contributors, missionaries, and journalists currently in the DRC. Included are also more images from International organizations and several news agencies.
We are thankful for the number of radio stations, organizations and independent journalists that have given special permissions for the use of their material to illustrate the climate in which the children of Congo live.
Our goal is to raise awareness and to motivate the viewer conscience about getting involved. So often, people surely know what is going on in the DRC. However most of us do not realize the magnitude of the crisis and the consequences and ramifications of our passivity. A hundred years ago, Joseph Conrad was certainly not passive on what he witnessed the in Leopold II private property. The world community was shaken upon learning accounts that came from the Congo.
While the world focuses on Darfur, the elections in the DRC and other stories, there is another side to the DRC's debacle. This one is chiseling right at the seed of our nation. And it is a time-bomb just waiting to explode.
The world is wacthing us to see how we are going to respond to the DRC's children crisis...When are we going to get involved?
Call to arrange a time for viewing of this touching documentary at your event. Go to drcongochildren.org .
contact info. gilbert@anointedmelody.com. Leave a voice mail by calling (919)231-1907
