Awakening Africa Magazine (September Edition)

Awakening Africa Magazine 1
ERIC MUKADI FOUNDATION

FOR A BRIGHTER WORLD
WHERE EACH PERSON
HAS A FUTURE
Education is the core of a prosperous soci- money and agreement between the oppo- ment, success and lifestyle change.
ety. site ends of the political spectrum. We are giving back to the community by
Every human being has the right, the privi- The major problem is that, unfortunately, raising morale, taking care of children, youth
lege and the opportunity to get the best ed- this part of our society, which is the cor- and young adults in a productive way.
ucation possible. nerstone of our strength as a unit, receives
almost nothing in terms of proper attention We do this by preserving urban crime; unob-
Unfortunately, in our world, this is often not and care. structed streets and unifying all peoples.
a reality for many groups of poor people.
The Eric Mukadi Foundation is a non-profit Our great team of volunteers is committed
Education is falling behind as groups of organization dedicated to improving the ed- to helping others through our non-profit or-
people struggle to find food, shelter and ucation, health and quality of life of the peo- ganization.
health care. ple of the Democratic Republic of Congo. We take our passion for Congo and trans-
late it into action.
Changing the social infrastructure is a gi- We focus on growth and elevation of think-
gantic undertaking that requires manpower, ing to lay the groundwork for self-improve-
2 Awakening Africa Magazine
Eric Mukadi Foundation is a nonprofit orga- The Eric Mukadi Foundation will provide in-
nization based in Dallas / Texas which be- mates with the encouragement and support
long to the Caritative actions (Helping poor needed to take stock of the life experiences
people in rural area, helping orphan by giving that have propelled them into criminal activ-
them access to better quality of life). ities, to take responsibility for their criminal
behavior, to change the patterns of violence
We live in an uncertain world where when and addiction that last all life and to help
the child is born, his life will be either open to them to live a productive life.
personal comfort, growth and potential, or to
a predetermined path going nowhere. Our vision is to build a strong organization
that will become one of the preferred choic-
This is why the Eric Mukadi Foundation is es of people around the world.
dedicated to improving the education, health
and quality of life of the people of the Demo- The overall vision is to bring smiles back to
cratic Republic of Congo. our community while raising morale, occupy-
ing children and young adults in a productive
The Foundation strives to achieve this goal way.
by improving the education system, health
care and charity work. Our vision reflects our values: integrity, ser-
vice, excellence and teamwork.
The program also provides education, reha-
bilitation and reintegration support to men
and women in prisons across the DRC.

EDIT O
A frican diasporas play an important role in the economic

development of their countries of origin.
Beyond their well-known role as remitters, they also promote trade and
direct investment, create businesses, stimulate entrepreneurship and
transfer new knowledge and skills.
Africa being an important market for business opportunities and

development. these opportunities are often underutilized due to
several factors, including the limited knowledge of investors and
entrepreneurs about business opportunities, the business climate,
the lack of opportunities for exchange between economic operators,
limited marketing distributing unreliable information on comparative
advantages to convince entrepreneurs and investors to seize these
opportunities.
That’s why Awakening Africa magazine strives to encourage and

promote the entrepreneurial spirit of African diaspora and influential
people to contribute to Africa’s development.
We offer quarterly economic, social and cultural information to help

our readers better understand current news, potential and business
opportunities in Africa.
As we are building a strong African community, we strive to awaken,

empower, promote and strengthen the business and economic
relationships among business people operating in Africa, America and
the rest of the world, Thus creating shared prosperity, mutual trust and
collective encouragement for public-private partnerships leading to
the development of prosperous and sustainable economic initiatives
between Africa and the rest of the world.
We encourage the evolution of thoughts towards emergence.

to each of us to work for a united, strong and prosperous Africa.
Emmanuel Kalumbata

SUMMA RY
04
EDITO
14 Portrait
SYLVIE MUKADI
Determined to excel in
the catering Industry
08 63 Economy and Finance

The new breath of
Politic African banks
DENISE NYAKERU
TSHISEKEDI
Stronger Yesterday, Strongest Today
66 Culuture
Poet Lutumba Simaro
A flame that illuminates
in the afterlife
70 Science
5 Revelations about the
human brain
74 Event
26 Network of
Influence
Cap towards success
Fally Ipupa in
«America Summer Tour 2019»
66
Culture and Arts
photography is dead,
Long live to Photography

Publication director:
Emmanuel Kalumbata
Editor-in-Chief:
Joel Kanyonyo and
Eric Ossongo KADIMA
Our team
Graphic Design
EMKAL STUDIO
Photography
EMKAL STUDIO
Writing Team
Raïssa Tshikandama
Cynthia Samba
Prisca Ikete
Ariane Tongota
Emmanuel Kalumbata
Contact:
USA
+1 972 674 0124
Kinshasa / RDC
+243 853 334 445
E-mail: subscribe@awakeningafricamag.com

Society
Politic
DENISE NYAKERU
TSHISEKEDI
THE NEW FIRST LADY OF THE
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
Stronger yesterday, stronger today
On the occasion of the Launch of the Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi

Foundation (FDNT) on May 16, 2019 at Pullman Hotel in Kinshasa, the
First Lady of the Democratic Republic of Congo made a powerful speech
by saying: «My vision is to contribute to a dynamic Congolese society
where the woman will be free and strong.»
These words illustrate the strong woman she is herself. «Behind every
great man hides a woman,» says a popular wisdom.
In the shadow of President Félix-Antoine TSHISEKEDI shines a bright star

whose splendor illuminates the entire galaxy of the new power of DRC.
This star is named Denise NYAKERU NKANA. Nurse by profession, the

First Lady of the Democratic Republic of Congo is struggling to hide her
magnanimity in the features of her affable face and her discreet smile. For
some, she seems taciturn. For others, she has a strong personality.
In the light of her official biography written by Father Jean-Bosco BAHALA,

those who can read between the lines will realize that the wife of the fifth
President of Congo-Kinshasa is rather a tough woman or as she defines
herself through the motto of her foundation, a STRONG woman.
The thorns of the rose
Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi, however, has had a dark childhood.

Everything started from that dismal Thursday of January 25, 1968,
which is the tragic death of her parents and one of her uncles, caused
by a traffic accident in Bukavu, her hometown.
She was only 9 months old. Ironically, almost 51 years to the day, this
is also a Thursday, January 24, 2019 that this orphan of father and
mother, since she was a baby, will become First Lady of a huge country
in the heart of Africa, thanks to the first ever peaceful and civilized
alternation of powers. Who would’ve believed that?
«L’amour n’est
simplement amour, que
lorsqu’il est donné»

Married to the son of the historic Opponent Etienne Tshisekedi
WA Mulumba since 1996, Denise Nyakeru has not had a rosy life.
On the contrary, enormous thorns have littered her career, which

must rightly be considered as an obstacle course. There is no
rose without thorns, says a saying...
Raised by her maternal uncle, Father Silvestre Ngami after the

disaster that took away her parents, Denise received a rigorous
Catholic education.
Later, she will set her sights on Nursing Sciences to finally
become a midwife.
The choice of this charitable profession may well justify her

interest in addressing the plight of women and children as First
Lady.
Nevertheless, she served until the eve of the last elections of
the DRC at Jardins d’Ariane, a rest home in the municipality of
Woluwe-Saint-Lambert in Brussels.
The life of the first lady is the perfect illustration of her endurance,
fighting spirit, perseverance and patience.
What’s more normal than a few months after the election of
her husband, she initiated the movement ‘’PLUS FORTES’‘
(STRONGER)
on the official launch on of her foundation called Foundation

Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi (FDNT). After the death of her
parents, the conditions have been put together so that her life
does not go nowhere.
She would have become what many orphan girls become in
the streets of Kinshasa when they let themselves be bitten by
bitterness and let themselves be swallowed up by adversity.
Like a heroine, she has taken the destiny of her life head-on. She
triumphed over the vicissitudes of existence by succeeding in
studying and shining up her married life to finish First Lady today.
Good example!
On all fronts
Immediately after becoming the First Lady, Denise Nyakeru

Tshisekedi announced in a bright light the colors of the role she
has decided to play during the mandate of the current Head
of State, her husband.
On March 8, 2019, during the celebration of

the International Women’s Rights Day, she
expressed her intention to «fight against violence
and discrimination against women and girls».

Society
Politic
“STRONGER”, VISION OF THE DENISE

NYAKERU TSHISEKEDI FOUNDATION
FOR A DYNAMIC CONGOLESE SOCIETY WHERE
THE WOMAN WILL BE FREE, STRONG, VALUED
AND BRING PROGRESS.
On April 13, she breathed new life into the network of In early June, Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi visited the
women entrepreneurs in the Sultani Makutano collective. infamous Panzi hospital run by Nobel Peace Prize winner
In front of 40 businesswomen, the First Lady promised Dr. Denis Mukwege.
her unwavering support to women’s entrepreneurship.
This hospital treats and repairs women who have been
She created a foundation to organize her philanthropic raped and abused in the eastern part of the Democratic
works. The foundation is named the Denise Nyakeru Republic of Congo.
Tshisekedi Foundation (FDNT), which since its official Outside the country, the First Lady of the DRC landed on
release on May 16, 2019 has received donations totaling June 9, 2019 in Rwanda where she had fruitful exchanges
$600,000. with Mrs. Jeannette Nyiramongi Kagame, the wife of
President Paul Kagame.
As for the objective pursued, the Initiative has affirmed
without hesitation that her vision is to contribute to a In the country of thousand hills, Mrs. Denise Nyakeru
dynamic Congolese society where women will be free, has benefited from the great experience of the Imbuto
strong, valued and will bring progress and an innovative Foundation Initiator who has proven successful in the
vision around the values of work and life, ethics, fight against HIV / AIDS and the protection of children.
patience and perseverance.

We still remember the first African Summit of the First
Ladies on Children and HIV / AIDS Prevention organized in
Kigali in May 2001 under the patronage of the First Lady of
Rwanda.
At the beginning of July, Denise Nyakeru participated in the

23rd General Assembly of the Organization of First Ladies
of Africa for Development (OPDAD) held on the sidelines of
the 33rd Summit of the African Union.
She took the opportunity to take part in the Symposium

on Cancer under the theme ‘’Burden of Cancer in Africa’’
sponsored by Dr Lalla Malika Issoufou, First Lady of Niger.
Countless women and children in the Democratic Republic

of Congo expect concrete works from their First Lady.
Nevertheless, the epic of her life inspires them and makes
them dream. It’s the Congolese dream! This brave woman
gives hope to orphans, refugees and those left behind by
the Congolese nation.
Eric Ossongo KADIMA & Raïssa Tshikandama

MY MANDATE IS TO PROMOTE AFRICA IN THE
AMERICAS AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO
DR. ARIKANA MOBILIZE THE AFRICAN DIASPORA, THAT IS,

ALL PEOPLE OF AFRICAN DESCENT LIVING
CHIHOMBORI - QUAO OUTSIDE AFRICA.
AFRICAN UNION AMBASSADOR

TO THE UNITED STATE
Married to the highly respected Dr. Nii Sa- programs and projects and was Chair of
ban Quao, Her Excellency Dr. Arikana Chi- the African Union-Diaspora Health Initia-
134 years ago, when the various European
hombori-Quao grew up in a small village in tive, where she helped to mobilize health
powers were exploring, dividing and ruth-
Chivhu, Zimbabwe. professionals from the diaspora to meet
lessly plundering the entire continent of
the health care needs of the African con-
Africa.
A first-generation immigrant to the United tinent.
States from Zimbabwe, she completed her
And considering these divisions as a cause
undergraduate studies at Fisk Universi- Since accepting the post of Ambassador
of some of Africa’s problems that are still
ty in Nashville, Tennessee and graduated of the African Union, Her Excellency Dr. Ari-
in effect today.
from Meharry Medical College where she kana Chihombori-Quao has earned praise
earned degrees in general chemistry, a as a leader who has brought renewed en-
She seeks to bring together African states
master’s degree in organic chemistry and ergy and new ideas to the mission of the
and Africans from the diaspora to build a
a doctorate in medicine. African Union.
strong and united African community.
After practicing medicine for 25 years, she As one of those who are trying to undo
actively participated in many African Union what happened at the Berlin conference

Société
Politique
Known as “Scramble for Africa”, thirteen European countries and the United States met in Berlin and established rules that divided
Africa into 53 nations.
“They were going randomly to Africa to seize everything they could ... [they say], let’s organize ourselves so that we can loot them
effectively.”
This strategy is still in place, tirelessly, and no one disputes it. It’s just accepted, “she said. “
She is the second permanent representative of the African Union to hold this position.
In this capacity, she pleads for Africans and friends of Africa to participate in the development of Africa.
Outstanding in her eloquence, intelligence and courage, she set herself the goal of mobilizing Africans in the diaspora to help and
awaken them to build a strong African continent and create a lasting wealth legacy.
In January 2019, she launched the ‘’ Wakanda One ‘’ Project. The project will start in Zambia and Zimbabwe. Because it is these two
countries that have made offers of land.
The “Wakanda One Project” is expected to raise $ 5 billion in development funds over the next five years or so. The project will be
financed by Africans from all over the diaspora, who will be the sole owners.
It will include five centers of excellence in the five regions of the African continent. The five centers will be development centers with
state-of-the-art health facilities, hotels, industrial residences and shopping centers, etc.
WE AFRICANS ARE BEAUTIFUL, INTELLIGENT, SOPHISTICATED, EXTREMELY

ADAPTABLE AND TOTALLY INDESTRUCTIBLE.
ANY OTHER RACE THAT HAS GONE THROUGH WHAT WE’VE BEEN THROUGH WOULD
HAVE BEEN EXTINGUISHED AND THAT’S THE TRUTH.
Dr. Arikana Chihombori Quao
Emmanuel Kalumbata

Interview
Society
SYLVIE MUKADI
Determined to excel in
the catering Industry
Married and mother of three wonderful corporating appropriate food choices into
children and and a lover of the kitchen lifestyle options.
since her youth. Sylvie Mukadi immediate- she strives to create the perfect balance B. Health and taste: Sylvie Mukadi’s culi-
ly understood that there was no substitute between customer and chef. nary goal is not only to eat well, but also to
for fresh ingredients and careful prepara- stay healthy.
tion. Sylvie has been able to cultivate fruitful
and lasting relationships with her clients, It coaxes the most intense flavors of gen-
Inspired by her mother who is a good cook- not only because of her professionalism, erally sweet ingredients, while using low-
er, Sylvie Mukadi has been professionally but also because of her three-fold strate- fat foods and calories.
involved in catering, entertainment and gy:
festive activities as a chef. A: What the customer wants: Customer re- Sylvie thinks that when we take care of our
quirements and opinions are essential for body by eating healthy, we improve our
Passionate about cooking, she is dedicat- menu planning. Each menu takes into ac- mood and our energy level.
ed to creating healthy and delicious foods count the nutritional needs and food sensi-
and providing practical services that save tivities (allergies, etc.) of each person.
her clients time. Offering personalized
recommendations and support while in-

C. Portion control : The amount of food a person eats is the most important factor in controlling their weight and staying in shape. In
planning menus for customers, Sylvie focuses on food quality.
From menu planning to food presentation to make you savor, Sylvie Mukadi offers a personalized experience to make your event
unique.
1. Can you tell us about your business?

I have a team of qualified, intelligent and SM I understand that people have different
SM SBlessing hand is a tailor-made cater- trained staff to high standards in food hy- needs. I have always taken the time to un-
ing company based in Dallas, Texas. giene and customer service. derstand these factors in order to present
to the customers a package that will make
My business grew mostly by word of 2. What goal do you want to achieve in the them happy.
mouth for nine years and served the city catering industry?
of Dallas and the rest of the United States. In this industry, I learned to listen better to
SM My goal is always to love what I do and customers. This helps me to put together
Specializing in corporate and private func- to excel in the industry. I am grateful to see a nice package for them.
tions, birthday celebrations, office launch- people of all races eating and enjoying my
es, weddings and school balls. food, It allows me to continue to be moti- Emmanuel Kalumbata
vated.
The dishes are prepared from local ingredi-
ents and are often traditional recipes with My ultimate goal is to become an inter-
a contemporary style of service, served in national chef, to travel outside the United
plates and bowls with harmonious shapes. States and cook for events in Europe and
Africa.
My menu offers a variety of African, Carib-
bean, Jamaican and American dishes. 3. How do you handle difficult customers?

Portrait
JOEL R.
Society
KANYONYO
A vision that pushes the limits.
Joël R. KANYONYO BAMUTANGA, 32, is a Congolese entrepre-

neur (DRC); Initiator and Chairman of the Board of Directors of
Regulus Connexion.
After his stint at the Kinshasa Academy of Fine Arts in Interior

Architecture, he embarked on entrepreneurship.
In 2013, in Lubumbashi, the second city and the economic capi-

tal of the Democratic Republic of Congo, he created, with one of
his childhood friends, the company “SUN EYES GROUP”; A com-
pany specializing in communication consulting and organizing
events and initiates a magazine called REG MAGAZINE.
But the adventure lasts only 2 years and Joel will go back
to Kinshasa, his hometown.
Mid-2016, He launches the company “REGULUS

CONNECTION”. This company specializes in com-
munication, events, public relations and business
consulting.
In 2017, in a tense political environment in his country, he suc-

ceeded in designing and imposing together with his team the
1st Business and Investment Fair in Kinshasa.
Despite the unstable political situation, as Manager with two other companies in Open-minded, friendly, he has won the
his company managed to organize the the DRC: WAX & WASH [A company spe- trust of a dozen companies in his country
National Forum on Digital and the second cializing in car wash and maintenance] that accompany his events.
edition of the Business and Investment and FITEC (Fiber Optical IT Telecommu-
Fair in Kinshasa, the following year, in nications and Consulting), A company He gradually builds a framework for devel-
2018. evolving in the integration and installation opment of Congolese entrepreneurs.
of Telecom and IT equipment; for over two
His company thus receives the support of years. Currently, he works to facilitate the inte-
the Ministry of Small and Medium Enter- gration and supervision of investors in
prises (SMEs) and Posts, Telecommuni- Very young, Joël R. KANYONYO aims at his country; and he plans to create a lot
cations, New Technologies of Information the development of his country the DRC. of companies in this country of opportuni-
and Communication (PTNTIC) and sever- ties that is the DRC.
al public and private companies; because He undertakes to create wealth in his
these events brought together thousands country and participates in the dynamics To the question of how far he expects to
of people from the business world in the of this generation of entrepreneurs who arrive, he answers: “I have no limit”.
Democratic Republic of Congo. work to transform the huge potential of
the DRC into wealth for the benefit of the
The success of these events allowed him entire Congolese population.
to position himself and offer his services
writing team

Portrait
Society
I dream of a Congolese
aware of his rights but
also of his responsibility in
each of his choices.
RUDDY SAKOMBI
Communicologist by training and currently working in telecommunications in Kinshasa, specifically in customer operations, Rudy Sa-
kombi presents himself as an activist of personal and interpersonal development, which refers to a quest for discovery of talents and
potential but also of a better kind of relationship with those around him.
1. What would the world look like if you those around me to find their way but
realized your vision - who would benefit above all, to move forward. 5. What do you do most of your time?
and who would suffer?
3. Where does your passion come from? RS You may not believe me, but I observe.
RS A world where everyone has found his I can write a lot and even talk when I need
place, its importance and what we are RS Being born again and having known the to, but I watch more.
called. It would certainly be those who will love of God through Jesus Christ, I would
get tired of a monotonous life, those who say that my passion comes from God in 6. Who are your mentors, your heroes, and
want to see their daily life changed, those the first place and from the best that I see your predecessors?
who aspire to more. in my life. And for me, it is not possible to
keep as much potential when you know RS I would certainly say several, from
And for those who will suffer, it will be sim- that it takes no more than one person to Patrice E. Lumumba to Thomas Sankara,
ply those who are content with their lives, shake the world. through the great Motivators of our time,
without being frustrated by the status quo, the list would be long for all cities.
those who are content with comfort. 4. What are you most afraid of? Get your
way or not get your way? 7. Where do you get your inspiration?
2. What motivates you to do what you do?
RS Not to be where I was supposed to be RS My inspiration certainly comes from
RS My biggest motivation is knowing that and where I’m supposed to be. There is the one who gave me this passion to see
each of us is an answer in a specific area. nothing worse than missing the opportuni- others in their best light, I would say Jesus
The concern to be useful but also to help ty of one’s life. Christ.

aside! It is true that the course is very long to raise and restore the
8. What is your vision for Congolese youth? What change would bases such as education and patriotism, but I know it is possible.
you like to make to help this youth do better?
The change that I would like to bring and that I bring is in an aware-
RS The same they always have, great and incomparable. ness of who is the Congolese, in the awakening of the national con-
Congolese youth has a major role in the emergence of the new gen- science by moments of exchange with the youth and why not of
eration of Africans. It is this youth that will bring this new wind into its frame.
both cultural and entrepreneurial exchanges. I dream of a Congolese aware of his rights but also of his responsi-
bility in each of his choices.
I am not pessimistic and surreal, but I am realistic, with so much
natural and human potential, how do we want this youth to be put
Emmanuel Kalumbata

ANDJELO CHERTY
MWEMBYA
Founder and Acting Sponsorship Chair of Yadi leaders.
Yadi leaders has the mission to facilitate the social, cul-
tural and economic education of all the Young Africans
to inform them about their roots and their country of
origin while engaging in constructive socio-cultural and
socio-economic developments.
The vision is to solidly establish and to streamline

the most efficient and effective peer-to-peer network
amongst the US-African Diaspora, other African Di-
aspora around the world and the young African pro-
fessionals/scholars living in Africa.
Over 18 year of career ranging from engineer-

ing management to becoming an international
strategist in business development trailblaz-
er in various industries: IT, Telecom, Energy,
Real Estates, Trading, mining, and financial
solutions.
Anjelo has more than 20 years in the management of

international development strategy in various sectors:
IT, telecommunications, energy, real estate, commerce,
mining and finance.
2. Cost reduction with the rationalization of their CAPEX and
He can offer business solutions that use innovative and disrup- OPEX
tive technologies from the private, public and government sectors, 3. Creation of business opportunities
while customers enjoy the following benefits: 4. Commercial expansions
5. Increase their return on investment by at least 20% or more
1. Operational and functional efficiency
He does not consider himself only a solution man, but also an experienced negotiator
knowing the trends and cultures of local and international markets.
Emmanuel Kalumbata
www.yadileaders.com

Société
Politique
UDPS
FROM THE OPPOSITION TO POWER
THE NEW POLITICAL ERA IN THE DRC.
Issues and Perspectives
After his 50 years of age, Étienne Tsh- remedy if they managed to conquer the the elections. Etienne Tshisekedi, who
isekedi decided to create with his polit- power. came second, claims victory and pro-
ical companions (Ngalula, Mbwankien, claims himself President of the Republic
Makanda, Lihau, Kibassa-Maliba, etc.) The Sphinx of Limete and his collabora- in his stronghold in Limete.
the Union for Democracy and Social tors committed their lèse-majesté crime
Progress, (UDPS). by creating the Union for Democracy and At the end of December 2016, after so
Social Progress on February 15, 1982. many demonstrations, the UDPS took
This decision to create a political par- part in negotiations with President Kabi-
ty for the restoration of the rule of law, The creation of UDPS will then cost them la who remains in power despite the ex-
good governance, distributive justice, arrests, relegations, imprisonment and piry of his term.
national unity, peace and social welfare, deaths of their supporters.
starts with the letter of the 13 parliamen- This negotiation leads to the agreement
tarians addressed to President Mobutu In 2011 as presidential candidate, Éti- of Saint Sylvester. At the beginning of
in 1980. enne Tshisekedi promises to rebuild the February 2017, the historical opposition
day after his victory, a new Congo he has leader of the DRC, Etienne Tshisekedi
This letter made an unfortunate state- always dreamed of. bows out in Belgium and will be buried
ment of the social, economic and politi- two years later in his country, in the cap-
cal situation of the former Zaire to which But unfortunately! He will not be elected; ital, Kinshasa.
the co-founders of the UDPS should it is Joseph Kabila Kabange who will win

Shortly after the death of his biological and view that the situation is unprecedented,
political father, Félix Tshisekedi succeeded Indeed, during the opposition period, the cohabitation would not have been a good
him and became president of the UDPS, the UDPS was known for its uncompromising idea. It would be even dramatic, which is
largest opposition party in the country. character, although since a while there has why it has tilted in favor of a coalition of
been a slight flexibility: we will remember forces for the proper functioning of institu-
He is also nominated to represent the party his decision to tolerate the electronic vot- tions.
in the presidential election scheduled for ing machine yet criticized by other groups
December 2018. of the opposition like LAMUKA, also that of The Congo, which was expecting a radical
going to the elections in spite of the exclu- change in the political class, may have to
Since Thursday, January 24, 2019, the sion of the city of YUMBI and Butembo by wait a while longer. Admittedly, the change
Democratic Republic of Congo has entered the Independent National Electoral Com- is there but it is not radical as desired.
a new dimension of its history, The first mission.
peaceful political alternation at the head The ideology of continuity advocated by
of state. the old regime is inherent to the new re-
This new situation is caused by the gime and Henry Mova Sakanyi, CFC
elections after which the lead- (Common Front for Congo) execu-
er of the Union for Democracy tive, discusses the maintenance
and Social Progress, son of of the system that began since
Etienne Tshisekedi will be Laurent Désiré Kabila.
proclaimed winner of the
presidential elections. However, some political
The victory is favor- analysts believe that
able for the UDPS, this is not continu-
which has been ity but rather the
campaigning for search for comfort
more than 35 years in power and secur-
to obtain the keys to ing the interests of
state management. each other.
However, it is dramatic be- In view of the table present-

cause on the one hand it will ed above, one wonders if the
have to show a lot of expertise be- Union for Democracy and So-
ing a long-time opponent party and cial Progress will be able to apply
on the other hand it will be forced to its program set up for more than 35
deal with its political opponents years.
because the regime being semi-presi-
dential, the government will therefore be Because the issue is too much great and
formed with the party that has obtained a That said, we are currently seeing a new the party will not be safe from the harsh
majority in parliament. way of seeing things in the UDPS that has criticism that is already going on against it.
been at the root of its success in the last
This unprecedented situation makes it diffi- election. What do you think of the CACH coalition
cult for the UDPS, which, despite its victory This new apprehension of the political life (Cape for Change) Political Leadership
in the presidential election, will not be able does not make him see any inconvenience Driven by the Current Head of State and
to manage the country alone. to coordinate with the Common Front for CFC (Common Front for Congo), Political
the Congo, political formation of the Pre- Force Led by the former Head of State?
Not being alone at the controls, is not nec- decessor of Felix Tshisekedi at the head Do you think that the President will be able
essarily a problem but you have to ask the of the Democratic Republic of Congo, with to defend the interests of the people, re-
question with whom to coordinate? Will the which before and during the elections they store a distributive justice as well as a na-
UDPS succeed in keeping all its promises looked at each other like faience dogs. tional unity?
made to the Congolese people for more
than 35 years? President Felix Tshisekedi says in an inter- We will come back!

Entrepreneurship
Network of
GAUTHIER
Influence
MUTOMBO
A SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR
WHO CONTRIBUTES AND BRINGS
GROWTH TO THOSE AROUND HIM
Being primarily a father and a husband, Gauthier Mutombo is

also a serial entrepreneur who has resided in the United States
since 1996. He considers himself a mentor for the younger gen-
eration who needs advice and guidance.
Holder of a degree in computer science and engineering.

Gauthier is a successful entrepreneur who started his business
very early. He currently owns and manages a new technology
company.
Very ambitious and very serious when it comes to working, He

joins his community and contributes by bringing growth to those
around him. Although he has several responsibilities, he is al-
ways willing to help people whenever he has the opportunity.
1. What are your responsibilities as a busi- portunities for growth.

ness owner? You must never be content with anything I never allow myself to think about giving
GM As a business owner, there are many and never have a poor state of mind. You up, which has helped me to accept the
responsibilities, including overseeing all must always strive to be better than you challenges of life and finally overcoming it.
aspects of the business. I am the brain of were yesterday
the company, so I have to supervise and 6. At the end of your life, what would you
adapt it to the way I want it to grow. 4. Can you give me a description of your like to be able to do more today?
In order to realize my vision, I must have company? What’s stopping you?
control and direction of it properly.
GM Since 2004, We specialize in new GM I wish I could have spent more time
2. Does your business help the community technologies and also provide audiovisual with my family. But being a business man-
where it is? equipment and lighting, as well as all the ager, I do my best to balance those respon-
GM Yes, my company helps the community necessary hardware and logistics for con- sibilities and sometimes give priority to my
by providing employment opportunities, es- ferences and events. family.
pecially to the Congolese community and We have offices in Washington DC, Orlando
most people who have just started their FL, Nashville TN and Denver CO. Emmanuel Kalumbata
lives here in the United States.
5. Was there a time when you wanted to
3. If you had some advice for a beginner, quit? And how did you handle this situation
what would it be? or did you overcome it?
GM I would say to work hard and never give GM I think there are always times when
up. There is a reason we have a dream and things do not go the way we want. But I do
we can make it happen when we work hard not think I wanted to stop or give up.
and stay perseverant. I have always seen such situations as op-

NAOMIE
CILUMBA
She is best known by her closest friends as simply Naomie, but
in the professional world, Tshioba Naomie Cilumba is what she
prefers to be called.
Ms. Cilumba is an educated multi-lingual woman with profes-

sional backgrounds in banking, education, finance, marketing,
and healthcare administration.
She’s a young woman impacting her community in the world of
business as a serial entrepreneur. She wears many hats, and
she is thriving as one of the youngest female leaders as she
continues to rise from one state to the next as a business own-
er.
1. What shifted your mentality to be self-employed versus

working for someone else?
NC The shift happened when I saw myself always providing

ideas, disagreeing with my bosses, and my vision not aligning
with that of the companies I worked for.
One of the main reasons I was quickly mo- Whether it was selling phone cases online It’s very dear to my heart and comes from
tivated to start my own business was the or promoting local events from door to my favorite prayer: “God, grant me the se-
fact that the employers for whom I had the door. renity to accept the things I cannot change,
skills to work would refuse to offer me a Courage to change the things I can, and
job. The idea to start my own business came wisdom to know the difference.
when I saw a lot of my friends making mon-
I was dressing decently, was speaking pro- ey through entertainment, but not knowing Sérénité Groupe, LLC consists of several
fessionally, was creating the best resumes, how to multiply it or invest that money. I branches such as tax preparations, event
I met the training requirements, I had work forced them into investing in me by creat- promotions, business startup assistance,
experience, but for some reason, the less ing an online boutique and entertainment international artist management, online
skilled than me always received the offers. company. boutiques, business investments, etc.
Every negative response I received reas- That was also the best way for them to see 4. How did you know when you had the
sured me that my purpose on this earth was how their money was working for them. right idea?
to be a leader. In the summer of July 05, 2012, Sérénité
Groupe, LLC was created. NC There was a need for change in my
2. Tell us about your first entrepreneurial community, and people benefited from
venture: How did you come up with the 3. Can you tell us about your business, and what I had to offer.
idea and how did you start your business? why you chose the name Sérénité? No matter what I did to shift away from the
business, it always found a way back to me,
NC My first entrepreneurial ventures were NC The name Sérénité was the best way, to and the joy in my clients’ eyes assured me
in sales, marketing, media, and money man- sum up, all the pain, mistakes, doubts along that my idea was impacting their lives in
agement. I have always juggled several ac- my journey, and served as hope to consis- one way or another.
tivities at the same time. tently remind me of where I was and where
I am going.
5. How did you get where you are taken. It is okay for you to be the per- I stumble and fall, but I get up because I
today, and who or what helped son who paves the way, and everything know it is part of the process of becom-
Network of
Influence
you along the way? will fall in place. To succeed you cannot ing successful.
underestimate any marketing strategy
NC Several people played major because different methods work for dif- 11.Has luck played a major role in your
roles in my life. My parents sac- ferent audiences. success?
rificed their wellbeing for me to
go after my dreams, and the best 8. What’s is your best marketing method NC You don’t get lucky, it is destiny.
thing they offered me was a daily moti- as an entrepreneur?
vation book and Bible to help guide me 12. After all this success, what is the
when I was lost. I also had a few mentors NC Our world is now powered by tech- biggest challenge for you as an entre-
and coaches along the way who invest- nology and I would say the best mar- preneur to this day?
ed their time and money when I wanted keting method for me is being active on
to expand to new states and locations. social media, and direct contacts on my NC Sometimes I feel like I am in my way,
phone, and word of mouth. and there are times when I consistently
wonder if I let the right individuals in my-
circle.
6. How did you handle adversity and 9. What have you learned about leader- I am my own worst critic.
doubt? ship, entrepreneurship and mentoring 13. How do you balance your personal
NC I only doubted myself when my peers others? life from work?
did not believe in me, so I’ve always had
to shift those negative remarks by see- NC I have learned to be patient, and to NC I factor in vacations to minimize
ing the finish line of all my endeavors. listen before reacting to situations life stress, and I try my best to differentiate
brings my direction. the two from each other.
What fuels my fire every day is when I am not always quick to judge because
people tell me I am crazy for my ideas, people I have once neglected in the past 14. Are You Happy with your accom-
that it is not possible, it has never been have surprisingly being a huge part of plishments, and what would you do dif-
done, and you are a woman trying to my success when I tried to void them ferently?
amount to things males do. out.
10. Did You Experience Failures? If so, NC Yes! I am happy with my accom-
7. What tips or advice do you have for what did you learn from them? plishments, and the sky is not the limit
other women who would like to start NC Of course! Countless times. for me. Every day that God grants me on
their businesses and succeed? The biggest lessons I learned in life were this earth, I strive to consistently evolve
only acquired when God allowed me to by taking different approaches that align
NC The best advice I have for women is fail. with my vision.
to never be afraid to take the road less When my fears come in the way,
Emmanuel Kalumbata

Entrepreneurship
Network of
Influence
ROSALIE R.
MAGERA
Young Female Entrepreneur, graduated in Business Manage-
ment from the South African Institute of Management (SAIM) With an entrepreneurial spirit, she has invested in business by
and holder of a Diploma in Business Management from creating the “RMAG Group” in which she assumes the role of
Damelin College in South Africa and pursuing Executive MBA General Manager. The Group has as branches of activity in:
in Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development at Jesuit fashion, interior decoration, advice and services.
Catholic University in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
In terms of fashion, Rmag Group prioritizes fabrics of mainly
Rosalie is an optimistic and insightful woman. A woman with African origin such as Kita, Bogolan, Kente, Baoulé loincloth
a big heart but who cannot keep quiet when she sees certain and others. These purely African fabrics are mixed with leath-
injustices. This led her to create a non-governmental organi- er, jeans, linen, cotton and others, in order to bring a more
sation called Afrik ‘Love and Sharing (AAP ONGD), with some African connotation.
members of her family.
The Rmag Group also has another area of intervention, the
The organization aims to fight the persecution of women and advice and services in terms of well-being and fitness as be-
children and to ensure the economic empowerment of wom- ing herself a certified fitness coach (training received at the
en in all areas of life. National Institute of Youth and Sports of Abidjan in Côte of
Ivory (INJS).
The first intervention of his organisation was in favor of wom- The RMAG Group plans to embark on a near future in
en victims of rape use as a weapon of war in the East of the Agribusiness.
Democratic Republic of Congo in 2013/2014.

1. What do you think are the qualities that women entrepre- nesburg, South Africa.
neurs need to develop?
While pursuing my higher education, I also co-founded during
RM African women entrepreneurs must first be aware that this period of managerial studies a production company
they are the foundation of the development of the African called “Les Bantu production”. Specialising in marketing,
continent. events, creation and video production, documentary and so
on.
They must thus tear their place on the table by marking their I also started at the same time slowly my clothing line that I
footprints in the business community in Africa. They must called at the time “Bantu design” with some people from the
not wait for men to create a space that is favorable for them South African fashion scene.
but rather to create for themselves a favorable and conducive
environment for their development in the business world on The brand has become much more personal today hence the
the continent. current name “RMag” which is nothing but the diminutive of
my name.
A woman should never be considered a subhuman.
The difficulties or challenges have never been the same in
Unfortunately, this is still in the mentality of some men in Johannesburg, Abidjan or Kinshasa.
some circles of this continent and even the world.
But I have observed one thing in common in all these Afri-
I will also say that a woman should always think big. can cities, the major problem that arises first is related to the
Women working in the agricultural sector, for example, must mentality of the person in front of you.
not only limit themselves to production, but also think about
the transformation of their production into finished products However, as in any business, it is necessary to adapt ,to per-
ready for consumption, for example. severe and to equip oneself with a fighting spirit and to make
the difference to achieve one’s goals.
Therefore, they must invest in industrialization by embarking
on agribusiness. Hence the need for the mobilization of new I cannot finish by pointing out that my age and gender have
resources to increase their capital. often been perceived as a handicap.
This is a problem for many women in business, politics or

2. Journey and challenges: other ...
RM I did not start directly in entrepreneurship. But I would say Fortunately, for some of us, we have understood that our fem-
that I was discovered at an early age when I was about 15 to ininity should not be considered as a weakness, but on the
16 years old by a presenter of the Congolese national radio contrary, women entrepreneurs should continue to impose
and television where I started as a co-host. themselves as they go and find a place in the sun.
I then continued in the TV presentation and animation.

Having not yet obtained my bachelor’s degree, I was recruited Emmanuel Kalumbata
into a local telecommunications company in the marketing
and communication department.
In order to go to university, I had to leave the country to con-

tinue my studies, at the University of Mentouri in Constantine,
Algeria, in English Literature and foreign languages.
Subsequently, I enrolled in business management in Johan-

Network of
Influence
DIANE
NDEUNA
Diane is a very combative Cameroonian entrepreneur who has
managed to chart her way despite the challenges and difficulties.
She is the CEO of EDEN AFRICA, a non-political, non-profit organ-
isation.
Her organisation is a network of women and young entrepre-
neurs who build projects of social and economic impact in order
to achieve empowerment of the concerned targets.
Her main objective is therefore to promote the social, cultural

and economic development of peoples; and improving the legal
and institutional environment for a favorable business climate
for the economic development of women and youth.
EDEN AFRICA therefore supports women and young people in a

process of empowerment and continuous improvement for their
economic independence and their development.
After her studies, inspired by her mother I did not give up my vision, but I remained fo- sation continues to train the younger gener-
who taught her entrepreneurship, she start- cused and determined to accomplish what ation for free.
ed her own business so she could impact matters most to me.”
her community and the rest of the world. Said this very combative lady.
Together with her family, she worked very Emmanuel Kalumbata
hard to materialize her idea. She started her adventure with few universi-
ties in Cameroon and today with hard work,
“I always had one goal: to leave a long-lasting dedication, tenacity and determination, her
legacy. That’s why, from a very young age, me organization works in partnership with 27
and my team formed other young people to universities in Cameroon.
grow and become successful entrepreneurs. She currently works with international
As always, the beginning is very difficult, but organisations as an expert and her organi-
+237 6 96 20 60 57
www.eden-africa.org
boulevard de la liberté douala bonanjo (11 335,24 km)

237 Douala

ERIKA PEZZELA
Married, mother of four and an entrepreneur, Erika runs an event planning business that is part of her husband’s business. She has
been in the business world since 2004 and her business is located in the Washington DC area.
She is Miss Virginia 2019 and participated in the Miss Globe contest in California last June.
As an entrepreneur, she strives to work hard and progress in all aspects of her life.
1. Can you tell us about your career? 3. What do you think are the qualities that I always knew that I wanted to own a busi-
women entrepreneurs need to develop to ness.
EP My main goal in my career is the constant stand out? After my wedding, I started planning wed-
growth and improvement of my company, as dings for friends and acquaintances at the
well as following the technological changes EP I think it is important for women to know church.
of the world. that they should never be discouraged or
think they are limited because they are wom- I realized that it was something that I liked
I like running my own business and being my en. and that’s what motivated me and pushed
own boss. although it’s sometimes very dif- They should know that, whatever their me to transform my passion into business.
ficult to have so much responsibility on my dream, they can realize it as long as they can
part but the rewards are worth it. overcome any obstacles they may face. 6. What services or products do you offer?
2. How do you define yourself? 4. Are you easy to join? I offer professional event planning services
for business and private.
EP I am a hard worker, a protective mother EP Yes, despite my busy life, I am easier to
and a caring person. reach than you think. Including, decoration, audiovisual equip-
Most people who knows me, knows that I ment and lighting installation anywhere in
I stand up for the vulnerable and I hope to respond to SMS and e-mails on an ad hoc and around the Washington DC area.
make a difference in the world one day. basis, while phone calls are a bit difficult for
me because I am always in meetings.
I focus on my life and my career and some- Emmanuel Kalumbata
times it’s confused with an antisocial char- 5. How did you get your idea or concept to
acter, but once people get to know me, they start your business?
realize that’s not the case.

RANDALL MUZITO
LOPES
Married and a mother of two, Randall Muzito Lopes holds a degree in International Busi-
ness from the Strayer University in the United States of America. Randal is a combative
woman determined to accompany and organise actions aimed at promoting socio-cultur-
al but also educational values of Congolese in general.
She currently works as President of the Fumumpa Foundation, which aims to participate
in the development of the Kwilu Province, in the Democratic Republic of Congo with its
natural and human potential.
1. Can you briefly tell us about the the support of our members of honor for 5. What are your goals for the next five
Mfumupa Foundation ? the realisation of our projects. from 2015 years? What priorities will help you reach
to date, we have realized projects such as: them?
RM The FUMUMPA Foundation is a
non-governmental organization working in The drinking water supply chain linking 3 RM Our objectives for the next 5 years are
the social sector. large neighborhoods of the city of Kikwit. many that I will not know the cities one by
one, but I will say that our biggest challenge
2. Why did you create this organization? The holding of a large school competition is the development of the province of
How has it changed or changed over time? across the province of kwilu for the super- Kwilu by its human potential by participat-
vision of youth. ing in development in each sector.
RM I created this organization with the
aim of supporting and organising actions The holding of a big mixed football tourna- 6. How do you spend most of your time
aimed at promoting the socio-cultural ment for both financial and material sup- personally?
and educational values of Congolese in port to the youth
general. RM Beyond my duty and obligations as wife
The acquisition of land for the promotion of and mother, I spend most of my time work-
From 2015 to today, we progressively agriculture and livestock ing, developing ideas to propose to my col-
develop our projects and implement them laborators for in-depth studies.
in the field. Supervision and coaching of single mom
And we support to the extent possible any
action that aims to promote the values 4. What are the results achieved by your Emmanuel Kalumbata
mentioned above. organization? How has your program im-
proved over time?
3. Can you tell me about the work of your
organization and the program or programs RM The impact of the promotion and devel-
you run? opment and the determination of the youth
has worked for the common interest, this
RM From the education to the supervision positive state of mind is considered by us
of the young mothers through the leisure as a very positive result and an encourage-
of course, the foundation Fumumpa works ment for the future projects.
daily with the support of the population and
MULOWA
KAJOBA
Originally from Katanga, in the Democratic Republic of Congo
(DRC) and living in the United States of America for nearly 25
years, Mulowa K. Kajoba has more than 15 years of professional
experience and success in management, leadership and engi-
neering projects, including highway and interchange design, traf-
fic analysis, design and inspection of signal structures.
As a Christian, she rejoices in the greatest legacy her parents

have left her, faith in God through Jesus Christ. She is always
inspired by the words of her parents “Fear only God and respect
everyone”.
This is the value she has always kept and uses to live in her roles
as mother, sister, community member, friend and professional.
She manages multi-million-dollars contracts and administers

tasks related to consultants’ engineering contracts.
With the help of consulting teams, she managed the development
of more than twenty pre-engineering alternatives to improve ca-
pacity, operations and security during exchanges.
The success of her leadership is illustrat- of the Congo. She is counting on the sup- I knew it would be a lot of work, but I was
ed by the Governor’s approval to allocate $ port of other ambassadors of hope to help up for the challenge. It is for our commu-
100,000,000 for the completed design-build change the world for better, one village at nity, our people that I accepted to become
work for this exchange. a time. the General Secretary of CCWM, it is for the
greater good.
As a math teacher at a local community col- 1. How did you become the General Secre-
lege, she encourages students to overcome tary of the Congolese Community of Wash- That unexpected invitation from President
fear by believing in themselves. ington Metropolitan (CCWM)? Claudine Sassa was part of a greater plan,
According to the teachers’ rating, she has so I am excited.
a 5 out of 5. MK To be honest, it is God who orchestrat-
ed everything by using His people to recom- 2. Are you interested in politics?
Recently, she has embarked on non-profit mend me as an asset to the community.
projects to build schools in isolated villag- MK Not particularly. The extent of my in-
es in the Democratic Republic of Congo to The actual President Claudine Sassa con- volvement in politics would be as an inde-
break the cycle of poverty by using formal tacted me to ask if I would like to be part of pendent contributor to ideas and plans that
education. her Team as she was preparing to run for advance the Country and its community
the election. Prior to that, I did not know forward.
She is proud to say that in the early days who she was, but I accepted her invitation
there were a small number of students and to meet her to learn more. 3. Other than being the General Secretary
in the fourth school year, nearly 150 chil- of the CCWM, what else are you involved
dren were in school. Her passion to make a difference in the in?
Congolese Community lead me to accept ........Next page
As President, her vision is to complete the the invitation and to be part of her vision:
construction of a primary school, a sec- “making a pathway to a brighter and better
ondary school, a library, and duplicate this CCWM”.
effort throughout the Democratic Republic

to end illiteracy in the villages of DR conditions using formal education.
I am a mother, Chairperson and Congo, starting in Katanga by build- We believe that education is a right
Founder of Galaxy of Universal Po- ing a Primary School. and not privilege; it should be ac-
tentials (GO-UP) Corporation and On day one of the 2015-2016 school cessible to all.
Non-Profit, and I am a Translator. year we had about 15 students.
We would like to build the entire pri-
I am also the President and Found- We are in the fourth school year mary school through 6th grades as
er of the firm BiCaro Engineering & 2018-2019, and there are nearly 150 we plan for secondary and higher
Consulting Services, LLC. this is a students who are doing great. education opportunities.
new venture.
4. Can you tell us about your GO-UP provides a ladder to climb Please visit
project in the D.R. Congo? out of poverty into a world of oppor- www.Go-UpCorporation.org for
tunity so our children can grow to be more information and opportunity
MK Our organization, GO-UP, is a even greater contributing members to help. Together we are stronger!
registered 501(c)(3) Non-Profit or- of society and ultimately the world.
ganization that renders educational Emmanuel Kalumbata
and charitable services. Our vision is to help by uplifting and
empowering people to tap into their
In September 2015 we committed potential and sustain better living

RUTH KIAKU
RWIZIBUKA
We allow ourselves to exclude this young Katanga province in the Democratic Repub- young age with her parents, the Jewelries.
particular woman from any list of success- lic of Congo.
ful entrepreneurs. If you have not read his Being very young, Ruth is delighted today Being a wife and mother of a beautiful girl
story yet, make it a priority. with her success, thanks to her persever- with an angelic face, this ambitious and
ance and the challenges she has over- prosperous young entrepreneur plans to
Like some of the other names mentioned come. expand her horizons in the business world
on this list, Ruth Kiaku Rwizibuka takes at to create more jobs.
a very young Age, the entrepreneurial spirit: Coming from a wonderful family of nine
“I was still 15 when I started my adventure children of which she is the fourth, she Being more focused in fashion and cloth-
in the business world by helping my dear draws her inspiration from her parents ing, Ruth plans to create her own brand
parents in their business while I was still a who introduced her into the business world (MADE IN CONGO).
schoolgirl”, Said Ruth. from the early age.
She holds a marketing degree at Damelin Today she owns more than one business
College in South Africa. Today she’s a suc- and she plans, in the near future, to get into
cessful young entrepreneur in the Upper the business she has had work since her

Originally from passion, so I had a deep desire to
the province of open a restaurant.
Mai-Ndombe, As a mother of five beautiful chil-
(Ex Bandun- dren, I wanted the best for them.
du), in the Dem- That’s why I wanted to own a busi-
ocratic Republic ness so I could give them a better
of Congo, married life and serve my community.
and mother of 5 chil-
dren, this iron woman with a big 2. How did you manage to finance
heart and a fighting spirit started your restaurant?
her professional career in Belgium
where she worked as secretary Living in a foreign country is not
at the Embassy of the Democrat- always easy. I had a full-time job,
ic Republic of Congo (Formerly which helped me to save money
Called Zaire) for five years. but with a lot of passion, dedica-
tion, perseverance and the help
Today she lives peacefully in the of my husband who loves me so
United States with her family, much we have managed to fi-
more precisely in the city of Dal- nance the business.
las where she owns an African
restaurant (Exotic Grill), where all 3. What do you give back to your
Africans meet for a drink and din- community?
ner. I am always available to help with
1. What prompted you to create

what I can, so I am planning in
the near future to open an NGO to
MARIE KADIA
your Restaurant? help vulnerable children and wom-
en in the DRC.
MK Cooking has always been my

AFRICAN UNION MISSION TO THE
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
As part of that mission, there will be conferences, creation and
implementation of Diaspora focused initiatives, and programs
that will advance the AU’s 2063 Agenda.
Success of this mission requires the active engagement and

Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao was appointed in 2017 as the Perma- proactive mobilization of the Diaspora. To that end, she has or-
nent Representative of the African Union in the United States of Amer- ganized the US into 12 regions staffed by volunteers.
ica.
Her Excellency, Dr. Chihombori-Quao brings renewed energy to the AFRICAN UNION REGION 6
African Union (AU) Mission and is working towards fulfilling her
mandate to improve diplomatic ties and enhance the existing good
relations between the USA and the AU and brings new ideas and pro- Region 6 of the African Union consists of 8 states: Alabama,
grams. Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Ten-
nessee, and Texas. The first group to be organized under this
As part of that mission, Ambassador Chihombori-Quao is mobilizing program in the African Diaspora is the state of Texas.
the African Diaspora to get actively involved in the development and
growth the African continent is experiencing. In February 2019, at an event held in Irving Texas, H.E Dr. Chi-
hombori-Quao confirmed Mr. Benson Kasue as the steering
The purpose of the AU mission in the US is to achieve greater unity committee chairman and charged him and his team with the or-
and solidarity amongst the peoples of Africa by coordinating and con- ganization and mobilization of the African Diaspora in the state.
solidating the Diaspora, thereby facilitating the engagement between
the African Union and its peoples of African descent within the Sixth The Austin and San Antonio chapters followed and were formed
Region of the AU and the Diaspora. after a visit from the Ambassador to the two cities for the
“U.S-Africa Cultural Expo, Business Matchmaking & Awards Con-
To realize this purpose, the AU will participate in the establishment of ference” hosted by AFTV5 and “Connecting with Africa” event
African Diaspora constituencies and further facilitate the collective hosted by MAAT Marketing-KuumbaNia’s in San Antonio and
engagement of the various constituencies of the African Diaspora as Austin on 10 May, 2019.
established by the African Union Mission to the US.
The Mayor of San Antonio, Mr. Ron Rosenberg Nirenberg and the
County Commissioner Tommy Calvert were among the noted
dignitaries in attendance.

On June 28, 2019, SHAPE Community Center in Houston, Texas hosted
H. E. Dr. Chihombori-Quao.
Her Excellency met with many African Diaspora community leaders and
shared with them the opportunities that the recently launched African Con-
tinental Free Trade Agreement presents to the African Diaspora.
THE AFRICAN CONTINENTAL FREE
TRADE AGREEMENT (AFCFTA)
The AU approved and made a monumental decision that will launch the
unfinished business of the Organization of African Unity.
The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) will create one
of the largest free trade areas in the world by bringing Africa to the world
stage as one block, one continent and speaking with one voice.
The AfCFTA was launched on July 7, 2019 by 55 African Heads of State in
Niamey, Niger.
African nations shall now begin trading as one AFRICA on the world stage within six to twelve months of this launch. The AfCFTA is
something that will put Africa on a very competitive platform with a combined Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 3 trillion dollars and
serving a population of over 1.2 billion and a rising middle class. Representatives from the Diaspora including the African Union Region
six –Texas Chair Mr. Benson Kasue were present to witness the Historic Moment.
For more Infos
https://auwashingtondc.org/
https://auregionsix.org/

Portrait
Société

Cap vers le succès
Réseautage
D’influence

Cap vers le succès
1. Tanya Toko
Aged 39, wife and mother of three daughters and
living in Los Angeles, California since 1998, this
great lady with a big heart and infallible intelligence
is an expert in finance and accounting and currently
works as vice president of a large, world-renowned
real estate company in Los Angeles called Brook-
field Properties.
1. Can you tell us about your career?
TT I’ve been in Corporate America for 15 Controller to Vice President,

years. with a specialized task to
oversee the Company’s Eu-
After graduating from my master’s de- ropean investments for two
gree at one of the top business schools, years in Paris, France.
I started my career as a certified public
accountant (CPA) specializing in finan- I learned tremendously in this
cial audits at Deloitte, an international role, which included various bu-
consulting firm. siness trips with other divisions in
Luxembourg and London.
In my nine years at Deloitte where I spe- When I came back to the US in 2017,
cialized in real estate, I was gradually I progressed into a Corporate Accoun-
promoted from Audit Associate to Audit ting role.
Senior Manager.
At the time, I was ready for the next
I then joined a real estate investment and career challenge, so this led to my cur-
private equity firm. During my five years rent position at Brookfield, a larger global
at the firm’s Finance and Accounting de- real estate investment firm by August
partment, I went from Investment Fund 2018.
At my current position, as a Senior Vice President, Regional Controller, I oversee the Western Region’s accounting and financial reporting
of a $4Billion office properties portfolio structured into an investment fund and publicly traded company.
My role is more holistic as I am not only interacting with my Finance and Accounting team but also have a full picture of different func-
tions, namely operations, asset management, construction and leasing. Such widened view of the Western region helps me broaden my
knowledge of the entire commercial real estate industry in general and understand the competitive landscape Brookfield is in.
2. Is there an achievement or contribution valued and instilled as a priority growing up

that you are most proud of? Despite my mother illness, I studied hard my
last year of high school in Kinshasa and gra- for myself to accomplish any goal in mind.
TT I am most proud of the fact that I can be duated at the top of my class. A year after I arrived in Los Angeles, there
a good example for my siblings and conti- was more turmoil in the Congo.
nue to play a big role in helping them reach In fact, in 1997, I was one of the laureates
their potentials. in my Commercial field of study in the city I convinced my father to bring my siblings
of Kinshasa. to the US instead of having them stay in
My mother had passed away in Kinshasa boarding schools in Ivory Coast. I was then
seven months prior to me coming to the US It was bitter sweet because my results were joined by my siblings who I helped raise.
at the age of 18. not published until after my mother had Two years later, I took on the responsibi-
passed on. Still, my father made it a point to lity of raising my baby sister and two of my
I was young but also knew that I had res- send me abroad for university. younger cousins who arrived in early 2001.
ponsibilities, being raised the eldest. Prior I had to be an example for them and set the
to me coming to the US, my mother had When I arrived in the US, I was determined standard.
been ill for two to three years before pas- to continue making my father proud. I ar-
sing and those were extremely difficult and rived in a house with several other 18 to The same year, I graduated from community
emotional years. During those years, I had 24-year-old kids with no parental oversight. college with high honors which led me to a
precociously assumed the Mom’s role for Frankly, when I look back, I see how much of full scholarship to complete my bachelor’s
my siblings. a gamble my father took on me. degree at University of Southern Califor-
nia (USC), a highly rated private business
I did not want to disappoint my younger si- He had so much faith in me and that helped school.
blings and my father. Both my parents were me thrive. Since there was not much gui-
medical doctors, so academics were highly dance when I arrived, I had to make a path Awakening Africa Magazine 49
This led me to a successful internship with dership, personal finance, parenting, etc. I’m credit, investing, etc. With these tools, our
Deloitte, who paid for half of my master’s a lifelong learner. In addition to books, I’ve community can only get stronger.
degree also at USC, and the rest is history. found a solid rock in my spiritual life.
Most importantly, us Congolese-American
As much as I gave for my own success, my My favorite verse in the Bible is “I can do all immigrants have no choice but to become
siblings did not let me down. things through Christ who strengthens me.” successful.
I can proudly say that all of them have Through good and bad times, I have found 6. What attracted you to this cause?
that verse feed my faith in myself. I know
done well for themselves. My brother is an
that I am royalty in God’s eyes and it’s TT As stated earlier, I wish I had mentors
engineer; I have a sister with a Master of comforting. and coaches guiding me in my early years.
Science Degree in Global Public Health and I am a steward of what God has given. It’s
is currently in the humanitarian field in the 5. Beside your professional life, what do time to sow and pass on those gifts.
DRC; my baby sister has a degree in Com- you do or planning to do to inspire and
encourage other people in the Congolese What I know and have experienced might
munications and is developing a strong
community? shape someone’s future.
career in Hospital Management while star-
ting a family of her own. TT My plan is to start a career mentoring Mentoring leads to healthier lifestyle
program for young Congolese. choices, higher educational aspirations, en-
I’m also very proud of the cousins I helped hanced self-esteem and self-confidence.
I see our youth being lost in this country, not
raise, one is an accountant and the other is
knowing what to do in life and settling for I strongly desire helping young Congolese
a devoted mom, doing a great job raising the minimum or even when they have am- succeed and if I can, to make a difference
her young family. Guiding these brothers bitions, they do not know the path to take in their lives.
and sisters is my biggest pride. to get there. 7. What do you do to get your message out
This is a great challenge in our community there?
3. What was the biggest challenge you ever of Congolese immigrants.
face? TT The Congolese community in Los Ange-
Similar to my personal experience, I wish les is in the process of being restructured. I
TT Finding my way has been and is still my I had mentors who would encourage and am waiting for that vehicle to be in place to
biggest challenge. guide me in my earlier years in this country. best establish my program.
As stated earlier, there was no path to follow I incidentally heard about the Honors pro- I am also currently recruiting other
when I arrived in the US. gram at my community college that allowed Congolese professionals who share this
me to get substantial scholarships for my mentoring passion and will be willing to
Learning about the “system” and fully inte- bachelor and master’s degrees. partner with me in this grand cause.
grating into this culture and society was a
challenge. It was by word of mouth that I heard about Our community is rich of successful people
getting an internship before graduating who are hungry to give back to the commu-
Most importantly understanding what I nee- from college, so my senior year wouldn’t be nity and guide youngsters but do not know
ded to do academically to reach my profes- so stressful. how. I’d like to create that platform.
sional goals and career aspirations were
challenging. While I know all this was part of God’s grand 8. Is there anything else you would like to
plan, it felt like stumbling on Eureka mo- share with me?
I would not say I did it all by myself as I did ments, one after another.
get help along the way from my family and One of my favorite authors said, “Attitude
mentors but doing so while also raising my I was the first in my ways and sometimes is a choice” and one of my aunts often bor-
siblings was probably the biggest challenge. made mistakes or wasted time that could
have been avoided. rows the quote “Vouloir, c’est pouvoir”.
4. What did you do to try to solve those I love guiding people and it’s about time that I believe that with the right mindset, all
challenges on your own? I start formally giving back to my commu- things are possible, and the sky is the limit.
nity.
There is no other country than the US where
TT Aside from the family and mentors who
I also enjoy anything that’s personal finance we can witness the power of such words; it
coached me, I’m an avid reader. Books are
my best friends. related. should be aspiring to everyone.
My goal is to provide quarterly personal fi-
I read a lot of non-fictional books that I find nance workshops within the community,
Emmanuel Kalumbata
very resourceful about management, lea- educating on debt, budgeting, building

2. Linda Tappa
Daughter of Dr. Roger Tappa, M.D. and Professor Felicite Tappa,
Linda is a Cameroonian-American woman who lives the Ameri-
can dream. She comes from a family of six children of which she
is the second.
Although she immigrated to the United States at a young age,

she believes that her Cameroonian identity is an essential part
of who she is.
A fan of the Lakers, Indianapolis Colts, Oregon Ducks and the Uni-
versity of Texas at San Antonio, this young woman with a bright
future holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations with a minor
in Business Administration and Management from The University
of Texas in San Antonio ‘14, and a Juris Doctorate from Roger
Williams University School of Law ‘17.
1. Can you tell us about your career? above all committed

to fulfilling my mission
LT I am a corporate attorney currently wor- of forging sustainable
king with the Health and Human Services community and econo-
Commission’s Medical and Social Services mic development.
Division in its Contract Operations Unit. held high. Finally, to truly stand out, a wom-
3. What do you think are the qualities that an entrepreneur and any entrepreneur for
Prior to working for HHSC, I worked for women entrepreneurs need to develop to
stand out? that matter needs to be confident!
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid on the Commu-
nity building with Attorney Resources team LT It is important for women to know and The ability to generate passion and excite-
where I assisted low-income individuals understand that there is and there will al- ment for your idea relies solely on your
start a small business or nonprofit orga- ways be a stigma about what a woman can self-confidence.
nization that would benefit a low-income accomplish and the true value she contrib-
community at no cost to the client. utes. If you believe, someone else will and that
someone may be the one to take you to the
The assistance included educating clients However, it is equally, if not more, import- next level.
on small business and nonprofit basics, ant for women, especially women entre- You need to be your own cheerleader from
ensuring or getting clients in compliance, preneurs, to develop the ability to focus on start to finish and everything in between.
and drafting and reviewing corporate docu- what they can control and let the rest fall
ments. into place.
Emmanuel Kalumbata
2. How do you define yourself? To do that, women need to be strategic.
Any “Plan A” developed should be accom-
panied by “Plans B, C, and D” because rarely
LT I am a successful strong, independent,
is Plan A executed as intended.
intelligent Cameroonian woman with high
ambitions and aspirations for life.
Women need to be tough morally, mentally,
and emotionally. There are many psycho-
I am family-driven and bound.
logical, emotional, moral challenges in any
I am a daughter, a sister, a cousin, a
endeavor a woman encounters and to be
grandchild, an aunt, a best friend and I
successful, she needs to develop a Teflon
strive to uphold each of those titles to the
skin that prevents negativity from lingering
highest esteem.
as she navigates her path with her head
I am resilient, passionate, persistent, and

3. Milly Mumba
It is without regret that we have turned our backs on the very
difficult and uncertain times experienced by the Democratic
Republic of the Congo in recent years. But after those theat-
rics and rifts, we can only approach this new political era with
hope.
since it is as absurd as useless to fall into premature and in-
fertile pessimism, we offer you a very inspiring story of this
intelligent and courageous young woman who braved fear to
be the voice that keeps the conscience of Congolese awake.
Born in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of

Congo, she’s the last born of Angel Betukumesu and the late
Gabriel Mumba Champanga (former Chief Financial Officer of
Kilomoto-Okimo and President of Sempya in Kinshasa), Milly
Mumba holds a degree in Science information and communi-
cation at IFASIC.
Although having a bright and promising future, she had a dark

and difficult youth when she lost her father when she was only
16 years old.
“The death of my father was the hardest she had a nocturnal vision where a man or- munication Unit and Youth Communication
thing in my life, everything had rocked! dered her to leave the city of Kinshasa for Officer PND / Upper Katanga.
The late Gabriel Mumba Champanga: “Milly, I Lubumbashi while she was in charge of the
know that after me, things will not be the same, Intercession at the MAPR, a church dear to Making the former governor of the ex-Ka-
but study and hold your head high ... Above all, do
the Prophet Joel Francis Tatu. tanga province her model, she continued
not give up your faith in God.”
Without hesitation, she was directly con- the fight at his side while brave despite the
These last words that my father told me vinced that it was a divine institution and threats of the henchmen of the old regime.
few hours before his death, always kept my she had obeyed it.
conscience awake and I understood that Today she works as an advisor in charge of
my faith in God, studies, determination and Political Journey cultural affairs in the cabinet of Mr. Moise
courage were my golden keys to success. Katumbi.
“said this brave Congolese woman while re- In early 2016, outraged by the indifference
membering her beloved father. of the former regime to the killings and mas- Milly believes that her appointment to this
sacres of Congolese and disgusted by the post is further proof that her model believes
Grown up in Bandal, one of the hottest suffering of the latter, she used her Face- in youth and Congolese women for the de-
neighborhoods in Kinshasa. book and Twitter accounts to denounce the velopment of the Democratic Republic of
Dance, music, style were her marks. While injustice and awaken the conscience of the Congo.
growing up she always had a weakness on Congolese people.
everything related to Congolese Culture, Today back in the land of her ancestors, the
that even at her high school “Mgr. Bokeleale Her publications were a success and it was great country in the center of Africa after
Institute” (Lisanga), she often participated the beginning of a real fight against the old her exile, Milly plans to continue her job to
in cultural activities. power of Kinshasa. awaken the conscience of the Congolese
people.
like any ambitious young person, she It was on October 16, 2016 that she was
dreamed of becoming either a stylist, a jour- contacted by the Secretary General of the Emmanuel Kalumbata
nalist, or a lawyer, but the journalist’s flames PND, party dear to Salomon SK Della (the
finally prevailed. Senior Adviser of the former governor of
Enigmatic as it may be, in December 2014, the province of former Katanga, Mr. Moise
Katumbi) and appointed her as the Com-

4. LINDA MAUWA
Singer, music entrepreneur and philanthropist, Licelv, whose real name
is Linda Mauwa is the only daughter of a family of five of which she is
the fourth.
Talented and eager to succeed, she stands out with her angelic voice
from a young age and in 2015 she will be crowned Airtel Trace Music
Star winner.
Having a strong desire to help the younger generation. In 2017, she

launched the “Metamorphozo” concept. This is a clear illustration of
the transformation of the caterpillar into a butterfly.
This phenomenon of metamorphosis in animal biology, is this time ap-

plied in the change of human behavior towards positive values, with
the help of musical expression or any form of art.
In short! It is a space for communicating positive values through any

form of musical expression, in order to influence the change of human
behavior.
In the same way as in animal biology, the caterpillar took the form of
the butterfly, in the same way that the artist illustrates the change in
human behavior through music.
From the concept, “Meta- old. This program consists

morphozo” immediately be- From the African Performing in transforming their hab-
came the mark of the artist, Arts Market (MASA) in Ivory its and developing a culture
and that will be the title of Coast, to the Visas for Music oriented towards reading, in
her first album to be released in Morocco, via the Wom- peri-urban and rural areas, in
soon. en’s Voice Fair in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of
and Afropolitain Nomade in Congo.
In September 2017, the artist Senegal, the singer accom-
created the show “Metamor- panied by her 4 musicians, This program is not only an
phozo part 1. does not lack energy or awakening for the music, but
ability to surprise by a fierce also and above all an educa-
It was a public show of complicity with her dancers, tional Ludo method which
1h30”, consisting of a dozen singers and instrumentalists arouses the taste of the
songs (from the album Meta- the heart and soul. reading with the children.
morphozo “) performed in
Congolese national languag- Anxious to give children a
es, and in foreign languages, place in her musical uni- Writting team
combining music, video and verse, and above all to go
public speaking, around fam- beyond the stage, as her
ily cohesion. philosophy so well desires,
the artist launched in March
In January 2018, the show 2019, the program “Meta-
“Metamorphozo part 2 was- morphozo: a child, a book “.
born.
A show of 30 minutes max- “Metamorphozo: a child, a
imum, suitable for showcas- book”, is a “perpetual” mu-
es, for performing arts pro- sical education program for
fessionals. children from 3 to 12 years
5. SINAMANDLA
KWEPILE
Passionate, creative and optimistic, Sinamandla Kwepile or Sina (as her
family and friends likes to call her) is a South African mompreneur with
several strings to her bow.
On the other hand, this smart young woman with multiple hats is reso-
lutely positive and committed to excel and strengthen the music indus-
try in South Africa.
Being courageous, persevering and patient, Sina is the woman respon-

sible for the day-to-day running of the Moshito conference and musical
exhibition and she directs her strategy and coordinates all the festivities
of this great platform.
Moshito Music Conference and Exhibitions is the first event in South

Africa dedicated to the music industry. It has positioned itself as a plat-
form for music companies and organizations, small businesses, artists
and musicians for music.
Since 2004, the Moshito Music Conference and Exhibition has established itself as the premier music industry event in South Africa to
broaden the economic intelligence of music industry professionals in Africa, strengthen networks participants and inform delegates,
traders and the public about the multiple and dynamic nature of the global music industry.
Sina has represented Moshito in similar markets in Africa and abroad. Under her leadership she expanded the business intelligence of
music industry professionals in Africa and strengthened business networks by creating cordial mutual cultural partnerships with other
music markets.
6. TENDRESSE SUL
The woman committed to training a generation of ser-
vant leaders in Africa.
Tender just like her name Tendresse, she stands out from many
young women of her generation by raising the bar higher to Mo-
tivate and elevate a generation of African leaders in all areas
of life.

1. Can you tell us about your organization?
TS Looking for a better and conducive environment for Africa and
TS TOUS is the name of our organization and is defined by Togeth- seeing that there is still much to be done such as building schools,
er United to Serve. hospitals and the fight against malnutrition, we have focused on
awakening young African students living in the united states be-
We offer leadership programs centered on our model who is Jesus cause we believe that youth is the future of a nation.
Christ.
Our programs consist of missionary travel, volunteer opportunities We are confident that this youth will be part of the change, and
and projects for African students through partnerships with local that’s what really drove and motivated me to create this leadership
organizations. movement.
We bring together students from different congregations and tribes
to serve one another for the good of our community. Our goal is to enable students to become servant leaders in their
communities.
We believe that ALL students have a unique talent and can bring
positive change to their community. Right now, we work in partnership with local organizations such as
Un Geste pour L’Humanité to help build the Mayatima orphanage
near Kawama village in Katanga, DRC
2. Where does this passion come from? What is your end goal?
FIRST ANNUAL GALA

7. PRISCILLE DIWA
Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Priscille Diwa is a
visionary and ambitious young woman.
Being in the final phase of her communications studies at the University

of Maryland in the United States, she is focusing on entrepreneurship
to become a successful entrepreneur while planning to motivate and
advance those behind her.
Having this flame of success shining deep inside her, she combines her
studies with little business she runs with her friend.
Her business consist of making alkaline smoothies with donuts and

waffles that she sells to students at the University of Maryland.
With a passion for promoting healthy nutrition, she creates healthy

smoothie recipes for significant nutritional value.
Ambitious and intelligent as she is, she draws her inspiration from her
parents, who have always taught her to not only plan for a week or a
month, but to consider her plans and goals for a long run.
Her goal and vision are to have a successful smoothie’s business that takes into account the importance of healthy nutrition.
For her, for women entrepreneurs to stand out, they must be confident and firm while having confidence in their abilities, ideas and judg-
ment, no matter what obstacles they may encounter along the way, while eliminating external noises that do not match their vision, value
and character.
8. CHRISTELLE LUYEYE
Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Christelle Luyeye, a
young woman entrepreneur with multiple hats comes from a family of
7, Today residing in the United States of America, she is the co-founder
of Miss Congo USA.
Although making America her home country, she is still attached to the
country that saw her birth and grow, THE DRC.
Believing and wanting to see her beautiful country grow and improve its
image, she embarked on charity by creating a non-governmental organi-
zation called HANDS OF CONGO.
HANDS OF CONGO’s mission is to educate poor children and combat

malnutrition.
As the organization is new, today it supports more than 20 children in

the DRC by paying their school fees and feeding them and also starts
training women in rural areas.

ECONOMY AND
FINANCE
GOOD PRACTICES IN COMMER-
CIAL ACCOUNTING
Faced with multiple fiscal and legal constraints, the questions
arise: what is the purpose of commercial accounting? What is
this about? And what are the stakes?
All these questions lead us to define best practices for good business ac-
counting. Through this activity, the accountant points, classifies and veri-
fies all money movements, financial flows of the company, such as reve-
nues and expenses.
This one draws up a daily and monthly income statement, but also a bal-
ance sheet which governs all these revenues realized during the year, in or-
der to define and evaluate the results obtained (to record the transactions
relating to the purchase and sale of goods, to establish the spreadsheet
and the financial statements of a company, Carry out the regularization
and closing entries of a company, explain the application and the account-
ing of the harmonized sales tax, etc.)
For companies, it is indeed a good management and traceability of reve-

nues and expenses through accounting documents such as invoices, re-
ceipts, checkout, etc.
Everything must be clear, because ‘’com- of Chartered Accountants. This law orga-
mercial accounting’’ is one of the pillars of nizes and sets the rules for the practice of 1. The chart of accounts or general chart of
success, stability and sustainability of the the profession of Chartered Accountant, in accounts.
company. accordance with the provisions of Articles 2. The income statement (revenue, sound
35, 36 paragraphs 5 and 202 points 36 of financial and commercial management)
How to regulate commercial accounting the Constitution. The purpose of this order 3. The balance of cash
entry? is to promote and defend the honor and in- 4. The general ledger
dependence of accountants in DRC. 5. Bank reconciliation
The accounting activity is subject, like any 6. Amortization of purchases over several
commercial management activity, to the Any company that wants to develop nor- Years.
commercial code. mally, must have an effective accounting 7. Accounting entry at all levels
and have a Chartered Accountant. When 8. The edition of paystubs
But the accountant refers mainly to another, commercial accounting is established with- 9. Accounting (verification and accounting
more precise regulation, which is the GCA in a company, there is confidence that set- validation of parts)
(General Chart of Accounts). Its role is to tles with partners, employees, etc. 10. Budget consolidation.
determine and enforce accounting stan-
dards: the objects of public accounting, its The attention of every entrepreneur is cap- All companies must organize themselves
principles, its duties, etc. tured by the tax package. in terms of accounting, not only to respect
It is for the accountant to facilitate the the obligations they are subject to but also
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, declarations that the company is required to know in real time the state and health of
accountants are represented by Law No. to honor to the authorities, such as the tax its finances.
15/002 of 12 February 2015, establishing declaration.
and organizing the National Association Here are some good accounting practices: Raïssa Tshikandama

DRC
THE ECONOMIC BRAKES TO ERADICATE TO

Economy
RESTORE THE ECONOMY OF THE DRC
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a vast territory with an

area of 2,345,410 km² of which 80 million hectares of arable land,
making it the second largest in the world.
It has a river system marked by the majestic Congo River - the
second largest river in the world with the largest basin and the
largest in Africa by its flow. The country has tropical and temper-
ate climates, with the second largest forest in the world, and a
subsoil rich in mineral and energy resources.
Rich in these physical and natural assets, the DRC

is nevertheless ranked among the poorest coun-
tries with a poor population in the world.
As these macroeconomic indicators
show, GDP in PPP $ 68.6 billion (2017,
103rd world ranking), public debt
(2017, 192th world ranking) of 18.1%
of GDP, imports (2016, 101st world
ranking) $18.6 billion, GDP per head in PPP $466,
unemployment rate 80%, 168th by its HDI in 2007.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is known as the
greatest paradox of humanity. There is therefore a
great incompatibility between the natural resource potential and the
socio-economic profile of this country.
However, since 2002, the DRC is in a cycle of successive economic growth, but this growth does
not impact the standard of living of the populations, hence the big question “What are the obstacles
to eradicate in order to restore the DRC epidemics such as malaria, typhoid fever, sive economic growth with spillover ef-
economy?”. cholera, Ebola and also in the field of ed- fects.
ucation and research to facilitate access
1. Unskilled human capital to basic education and research, engines Unfortunately, because of the contribution
of all progress especially in this 21st cen- to the GDP it is the third sector, but which
Today it is clear that the development, or tury, where the economic debate lies on hires more than 70% of the working pop-
economic progress of nations is led by ex- the possession of technological knowl- ulation.
cellent men in their fields; the DRC does edge having, a profitability superior to the
not depart from this evidence. traditional real economy based on the ex- Relaunching agriculture is imperative to
ploitation of wealth natural. meet local demand for essential food
The economic progress of the DRC can products in order to reduce imports of
only be led by excellent Congolese econ- Human capital index (scale between 0 subsidized manufactured goods, manu-
omists, who can understand the require- and 1, in 2017) 0.369 - budget share allo- factured based on genetically modified or
ments both at the national and interna- cated to education and health respective- synthetic materials.
tional levels to initiate the development of ly 11.6% and 7.3% (in 2017) - research and
their country. development expenditure 0.02% of GDP The development of agriculture should in-
(2015). clude related activities such as livestock
Thus, the formation of human capital oc- farming, fishing and agro-industry.
cupies a place of choice in the process of 2. Traditional Agriculture
recovery and development. Appropriate
health measures and policies where the The abandoned Congolese agricultural
population is vulnerable to diseases and sector has the potential to support inclu-

Economie DRC
3. Insufficient infrastructure paved and 15,000 km of waterways. macroeconomic performance. Cor-

These figures represent the network ruption sinks and oozes state reve-
The Democratic Republic of the Con- of roads and communication routes nues, lack of policy to promote private
go, which has the dimensions of a in the DRC. But the level of disrepair initiatives, which explains the lack of
continent, has the challenge of ac- of these infrastructures is advanced, innovation by start-ups.
quiring the transport and communica- hence the urgency to invest in this
tion infrastructures North-South and sector. It is therefore appropriate to establish
East-West. This requirement presents visionary and enlightened leadership
several economic challenges, includ- 4. Quality of institutions and rigorous in order to reverse the trend.
ing support for the development of political leadership
agriculture and trade, both national These are the few economic obsta-
and sub-regional. Corruption and political patronage cles, that must be eradicated in order
characterize the management of the to restore the DRC’s economy. These
Facilitating access to modern wire- Congolese state and have direct ef- brakes are bonded and self-mainte-
less electronic communication chan- fects on the effectiveness of public nance. By eradicating, some of the
nels remains a challenge; All these finances and the private sector. other ones that are just corollaries will
challenges have one of the potentials dissipate.
to boost global demand and support Public enterprises are the sites of The new government will have work
economic progress. misappropriation and accumulation to do.
4,007 km of rail, 152,373 km of of wage arrears, all of which have an
roads, of which only 3,047 km are impact on social living standards and
Cynthia Samba Mudikal
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO :

VICTIM OR BENEFICIARY OF HIS COBALT?
Cobalt is a mineral that is totally part of human life. The whole hicles. France and Britain have recently announced their inten-
world is looking for this ore of importance. It is used in the man- tion to turn to electric vehicles, for which Cobalt is at the center
ufacture of the necessary elements for life, including smart- of the development of this industry by 2040. This situation plac-
phones and many others that we use daily. es cobalt and its producing countries at the center of political,
Currently, many countries are producing gasoline and diesel ve- economic and environmental issues.

With 50.8% of the world’s reserves, the Dem- which denounces these deplorable condi- and the continued impoverishment of the
ocratic Republic of the Congo is the envy of tions in which children work, it is reported population.
many industrialized countries in search of among other things, that dug wells are of-
this precious material, not only for the auto- ten deeper than the legal standard of 30 The Congolese State would therefore make
motive industry, but also for smartphones. meters. a useful contribution by providing many un-
They sometimes go down to 60 or 70 me- employed young people, through vocational
Because this metal enters with the lithium, ters without any protection. A fact that led training schools in the handling of this met-
in the composition of the lithium batteries to the death of several people during the al.
of electric cars as in those of the smart- last landslides observed during this year
phones. 2019. Things would be better if the State also
put in place the infrastructure needed for
Cobalt and the automotive industry of to- The culpable silence of the multinationals the processing of cobalt, and many other
morrow who buy these products from the artisanal minerals available to our rich country. It is
Some statistics indicate that the global base, represents facts which contributes known to everyone, that once extracted co-
market for lithium-ion batteries is expected to the destabilization of the prices of these balt, or other raw materials from the DRC
to increase from 24 billion euros in 2015 to strategic raw materials to the detriment of are processed outside, which is a huge
61 billion by 2024, while electric vehicles the country. This is decried, but unfortu- shortfall for the country.
account for half of world sales by 2050. nately without any impact until then.
As an African proverb says: ‘The old man
Being the fourth largest producer after Fin- What about the protection of the child? warms himself with the wood harvested in
land, Russia and Canada, the Democratic his youth’. The fruit of the work of the cur-
Republic of the Congo wants to take ad- Article 32 of the Convention on the Rights rent Congolese youth, the DRC’s future of
vantage of this situation. Thus, it declared of the Child is clear on this point: “the child development is already determining a large
cobalt as a strategic mineral in December must be protected against economic ex- part of its future.
2018, thus revising its mining royalty rate of ploitation, and not be subjected to any work
3 to 10% under the new Congolese mining that entails risks, or is likely to compromise Training a local workforce for the extraction
code. his education, or to impair its physical, men- and processing of our minerals would also
But we must recognize that currently, the tal, spiritual, moral or social development. prepare our future.
exploitation of cobalt in Congo-Kinshasa
poses many ethical problems. Child labor in Cobalt and Congolese youth Congolese youth is the strength of the
quarries is one of the illustrations. country’s development.
Starting from this situation, the Congolese
Children in the mines State has the obligation to pull itself togeth- We believe that it is possible to take the
er to restore some order in this sector of co- Congo to the time of innovation without
It is appropriate to note the bitter fact made balt exploitation. The order could consist of restraint, because many talents sleep for
on the ground. More than 20% or a fifth of taking the minors (under 18 years old) out lack of support and pleasant working con-
the production of this metal is insured in of the mines to introduce young people of ditions.
the DRC by artisanal operations, and labor working age.
is recruited most often among children.
Prisca IKETE
These children extract cobalt with rudimen- Indeed, it is not a secret that thousands of
tary tools, meaning bare and unprotected young people dumped on the job market
hands. each year by universities have neither the
According to some non-governmental orga- skills required nor the ease of finding a job,
nizations, such as Amnesty International, which justifies much delinquency juvenile,

Economy DRC
RWANDAIR IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF

THE CONGO
On April 17, 2019, a Rwandan Boeing 737 as a result of its pricing policy deemed
tra-
landed on Congolese soil via Ndjili Inter- exorbitant, even when these flights are
ciens now
national Airport. This is the inaugural flight within the DRC. The majority argue that
prefer to pay the fees
of the Rwandair airline on the Kigali-Kin- it is inconceivable for a foreign airline to
at the DRC-Rwanda border to take a
shasa route. offer more affordable fares than the local
flight from Kigali to Kinshasa, that is not
This is one of the results, it has been airline.
only less expensive, save controversial
said, of bilateral cooperation between the Here, travelling within the country can be
taxes in DRC, called Go pass and another
Rwandan and Congolese governments. more expensive with the local airline than
one that cost $55 paid to the RVA and the
The opening of the air route will once with Rwandair, whereas this one only con-
Province respectively.
again strengthen diplomatic ties, and eco- nects Kinshasa to Kigali.
nomic exchanges between the two coun-
It is therefore established that in the east-
tries, which fought a merciless war in the “When I am in Kinshasa, says Laetitia Kasongo,
ern part of the DRC, Rwandair has become
center of Africa a few years ago. a Congolese woman living in Goma, to return to
the main competitor of the local company
my city, I prefer to take a flight to Rwanda and
which is still struggling to expand.
Founded in 2002, it has its headquarters from there, access to Goma by the border. All
in Kigali, Rwanda, with fleet size 12 and expenses will be less than what I will have to
Created on August 15, 2014, Congo Air-
24 international destinations slightly more pay for taking a direct flight from Kinshasa to
ways launched its inaugural flight on Oc-
than the famous Congolese national air- Goma with Congo Airways.”
tober 20, 2015, succeeding Congolese
line. Congo Airways has a fleet size of 4,
Airlines of sad memories
and destinations do not exceed 12 coun- The other factor of choice is the safety
tries internationally. and order of international travel compared
Until then, it is important to recognize that
to local travel.
the company is still dragging its feet, leav-
After the inaugural flight of Rwandair, so- As a result, there is not a lot of risk of
ing a lot of places for foreign companies
cial networks have been invaded by com- losing luggage even worse, the risk of
at the risk of being on the ground one day
ments from Internet users, who for the being disembarked, supposedly, when a
at a time.
most part have focused on the difference delegation from the national or provincial
in flight prices between this airline, that is government has just requi-
taking its first steps in the DRC and the lo- sitioned the aircraft in an
cal airline Congo Airways. emergency.
More serious, some Internet users and The same thing is

many others have not hesitated to attack happening in the
by violent words, or insults to the Congo- other direction.
lese company on its own Facebook page Many Goma-

WILL COMPETITION FORCE CONGO AIRWAYS TO
REVIEW ITS TARIFFS?
For the moment, some Congolese, while will surely follow the company that offers We can look at the positive side of foreign
being cautious, are more in favor of the good conditions at a good price market. companies, which promote job creation
competition that has developed. on a certain scale. Unfortunately, is not
Compared to telecommunications or significant compared to the demand for
Rwandair arrives with tough competition, mining companies, air transportation is jobs in the country.
which is a good thing according to Kakel almost completely untapped in the DRC
Mbumb, an agricultural entrepreneur who according to Kakel Mbumb. Only a few people manage to make their
is passionate about travel. way in this world like Gueda Amani Yav, the
The political climate, and the conditions first female pilot recruited by Congo Air-
For him, competition will lead to improved for business creation are not conducive ways who launched her business aviation
services, and a likely revision of the local to young entrepreneurs in this sector. He company, Mwant Jet Sarl with a Hawker
company’s rates. went on to say, that the fact that the coun- 850 XP for flights for VIP customers, that
At the same time this new adventure could try has 3 international airports is a good connects the city of Kinshasa to Lubum-
be a possible source of lost entries for the thing, but that up to now its benefits for- bashi in two hours and Kinshasa-Johan-
cash registers of the DRC, to the advan- eigners more than nationals. nesburg in three and a half hours.
tage of Rwanda, because the customers
Cynthia Samba Mudikal
THE NEW BREATH OF AFRICAN

BANKS
After difficult years, marked by the decline The underperformance of Nigerian banks or simply the South Africa’s entity whose
of the major African economies, the top is driving all West Africa down from 14% funds are slightly above $6 billion.
200 African banks have recently returned to 12.3% of the cumulative balance sheet.
to double-digit growth. Central Africa, mired in an economic crisis The South African giants continue to dom-
in recent years, is now falling below 1% of inate, and in recent years there has been
Their combined balance sheets posted the the total. a decline in the number of African banks
strongest growth of the decade, with an with capital in excess of $1 billion.
increase of 18.7% to nearly $1.747 billion. However, the banks’ performance in local
Their revenues have increased by $10 bil- currency is much better. Falling prices The supremacy of South African banks
lion in one year, also the largest increase for almost all African commodities, and is not solely due to the size of the coun-
in 10 years. devaluations in some of Africa’s largest try’s economy, and the development of its
markets have hurt bank’s performance in banking sector.
The profits were over $25 billion. dollar terms. If you don’t consider currency
fluctuations, the situation is not that bad. This is also the result of the domination of
Southern Africa tops the list a few banks in this market.
We classify banks according to Tier 1
At the regional level, the dominance of capital, which gives a better idea of their
Emmanuel Kalumbata
southern Africa is confirmed, with 51% of soundness than other indicators.
the cumulative balance sheet now, com-
pared to 47% last year. North Africa con- Standard Bank Group (Stanbank) remains
firms its second-place ranking, retaining at the top of the rankings, whether you look
30% of the sector’s financial assets. at the group (with Tier 1 capital of $11 bil-
lion, more than double its closest rival),

Culture and History
HISTORY, TRADITIONS, MYTHOLOGY, LEOPARD EM-

BLEM AND SYMBOL IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
Arts
OF THE CONGO
At the time of the promulgation of the Constitution of the Third Republic,

the transitional parliament resulting from the Sun City agreements, adopt-
ed the head of the leopard as one of the heraldic attributes of the Demo-
cratic Republic of Congo.
In European civilization, the coat of arms is part of the culture of a country;

they represent the history of the country. In the Democratic Republic of
the Congo, the national coat of arms, struck by the leopard, recall the im-
portance of an animal that has always symbolized the power of the chief
guarantor, and protector of the country’s fundamental values.
The territory of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo is largely
derived from the ancient Kingdoms and far from other predators, a prey whose size the sacred animal, including a leopard skin
Empires, that existed in the center of Afri- is 2 to 3 times larger than its size. cap, leopard skin, a necklace from the ani-
ca before the Berlin Conference of 1885, mal’s teeth and a spear.
which consecrated the division of Africa. The leopard is a stealth predator, a crafty
One of these Kingdoms is the Kongo King- animal that crawls as close to its prey, be- After becoming aware of what the “Ngo”
dom. Kongo with the root “Ngo” means fore jumping on it and killing it with a bite represented in the customs and traditions
“Leopard” in one of the Congolese national on the neck. of the country, the President of Zaire in
languages, the kikongo. 1966 made of the hat of Leopard the pres-
In addition to be an excellent runner, a per- idential hood, symbol of his omnipotence
“We go to the leopard” translated by “Tuele fect climber and a good jumper, he has an and his power.
ku ngo” into kikongo, is the phrase where athlete’s body, a royal walk and a beautiful
the shortcut Ku-Ngo where Kongo was tak- sacred skin in the Bantu tradition. He pos- The former Chadian President François
en. sesses the qualities required for a custom- N’Garta Tombalbaye, fascinated by the
ary leader: the protector and the defender. character of Mobutu, made this headdress
The leopard is considered in Congolese a feature of his policy of recourse to au-
mythology to be a protective leader of the The leopard is also a sign of power thus, to thenticity.
kingdom. In case of danger, the population approve their detention of traditional pow-
had only one refuge: the leopard. er and legitimize their authority, among the Moreover, this hat has become an element
TETELA (one of the tribes in the South-Cen- of recognition to the aristocracy Mobutist.
This protective animal symbolizes strength tral Democratic Republic of Congo). But after Mobutu’s death, the leopard toque
and power, in record time it can kill mam- regained its original meaning, that of being
mals heavier than its weight. It carries by its On the day of his inauguration, the chief re- an ancestral ornament symbolizing the roy-
powerful jaws on a tree at a height of 6m, ceived several insignia in connection with alty and power of the customary chiefs.

Central in the history of the country as in The Panthera Pardus still enjoys an excep- bring fruit to the players on the field.
the life of the Congolese, the leopard rep- tional status among the many animals that
resents for much more than a simple em- populate the Democratic Republic of Con- Giant in the heart of Africa which, according
blem or national symbol. go. As a proof, leopard hunting is officially to Frantz Fanon, has the shape of a revolver,
prohibited in Congolese territory. the D.R. Congo would be the trigger of the
It is a source of common pride, beauty and black continent, but it does not yet shine in
strength through, which all Congolese want In sports, the animal that has very often its full scope.
to recognize themselves. The symbol of represented the national football team is He must show the power of the leopard
the Leopard is. thus deeply inscribed in the the leopard. We see it in Zaire under the in the forest. The Congo must rise in the
bantu subconscious. reign of Mobutu. heights as an emerging nation to the way
its totem animal climbs very high into the
In Kasai, for example, the great chiefs are This name came back in 2006 with former tree.
called “Mukalenga wa Nkashama” translat- president Joseph Kabila. The Leopard, the
ed by Master Leopard. totem animal, represented for Marshal Prisca IKETE
Mobutu the strength and power, that should
SPIRITUALITY
TRADITIONAL AFRICAN
RELIGIONS
In 1866, returning from the Upper Nile, Sir Samuel
Baker declared : : “None of the races of the Nile Ba-
sin, without exception, possess a belief in a Supreme
Being or any form of worship or idolatry; the darkness
of their minds is not even illuminated by a ray of su-
perstition.
They are as stagnant as the marshes that melt their
cramped world.”...
The word “religion” refers to a set of beliefs a link remains between the peoples of book Impact of African Religion on Africa
and dogmas that define man’s relationship Sub-Saharan Africa and their respective tra- Today: Latency and Patience: “…
with the sacred. ditional religions.
African religion does not exist anywhere,
The traditional religion of a people reflects Upon their arrival on the African continent, but it is everywhere, in consciences, in spir-
its way of thinking, its beliefs, its cultural the Westerners observed a spirituality that itual or empirical operations, in representa-
values and thus the meaning of its life. was well present in the customs, which tions, in attitudes, in gestures, in proverbs,
they described as «pseudo-religion». in legends, in the myths— It is everywhere,
It is reflected in the daily life of the people in the countryside as in the city, in court tri-
through its symbols, its gestures, its ob- In the context of the expansion of West- als and political conventions…”
jects, its rites and ceremonies, its myths. ern religions and the total domination of
African societies, the European mission- It is important for Africans to study their tra-
The culture of the African people is the mir- aries decided to reduce this spirituality to ditional religions to better understand their
ror of the latter. African religions cannot be animism so that the expression «African history.
dissociated from African culture. religion» still surprises the masses. African
religions are not limited to animism. writing team
Despite the effects of modernity and the
undeniable influence of Western religions, As the writer Gérard BUAKASSA said in his

Culture and Music
POET LUTUMBA
Arts
A flame lit in the afterlife
“Mabele, soso eleli soso eko lela ngoya, sima ya a mué ngonga
tongo eko tana…” Mabele, title of the song of the Poet LUTUMBA,
means LAND.
The Land that saw him born in 1938 and saw him give his best in
the Congolese music and act in the intellect and conscience of
its fellow citizens. Poignant, prophetic and moralistic words, he
quotes the rooster, symbolizing the time of awakening.
Time when we are supposed to go to work. This moment when

man resumes life after a moment of vulnerability in his sleep. On
his awakening he faces again the daily vicissitudes of life and
there we see some finding themselves in One of the flagships of modern Congo-
joy and others in sadness. lese music, these remarkable works have KITIKWALA (seat of rest, where he inter-
always been permanent successes since prets humans on their lifestyles), including
Lutumba Simaro known as MASIYA (The the 1960s. an excerpt: “Ba Koko ba loba boye, na la
Messiah), has largely deserved the lavish vie ba loba boye yeba talo ya mbissi tango
funeral reserved for him after his death. Even today’s teenagers are humming the papa azali na bomoyi, yeba talo ya kwan-
songs of the artist composed more than ga tango maman azali na bomoyi po lobi
Among all the Congolese musicians, he 30, 40, or even 50 years ago. bako kufa…” ; He warns the youth through
was one of the best composers, lyricists. this song to learn and be responsible
Guitarist of charm, the multitude of his Moralist, LUTUMBA was. Each stanza of while their parents are still alive so they
songs were composed, arranged and ac- his songs constitutes a cliché, what do I can take charge when they are no longer
companied by himself and the song en- say? A picture that freezes crucial events there.
trusted in general to the vocal of one of the in the life of man. As he says in his song Flame extinguished in the living world,
best artists of the country that he selected MABELE or NTOTU (meant by Earth), man flame kindled in that of our ancestors and
for the cause. invented a weapon to kill man, but never flame blazing in that of the future!
succeeded in making one that can kill the
LUTUMBA lived as a simple, humble man, truth! Ariana Tongota
faithful to his principles and commit-
ments. One of the expressions of his songs such
He is almost the only Congolese musician as: “Bougie ekotangisaka mpinzoli po na
artist who has never strayed from the path pasi…” , Read: A candle sheds tears of suf-
of virtue, loyalty and moralization of the fering to illuminate, reminds us that today
community. our hearts shed tears of suffering when it
was extinguished, but we are filled with joy
This flame lit in the afterlife will never for the work done during its lifetime.
cease to inspire generations and genera-
tions because its pure music, educational, It is necessary to live well at the limit of his
recreational will remain eternal. means, he said in his song AFFAIRE

PHOTOGRAPHY
Photo taken by Emmanuel Kalumbata
PHOTOGRAPHY IS DEAD
LONG LIVE THE PHOTOGRAPHY
The photographic revolution is underway, the speeches present the image again and telligence...) that make the computer imag-
and it is time to adapt. again as the objective recording of the real, ination almost unlimited.
Stephen Mayes believes that the future of
“It is time to stop talking about photogra- photography will be built without his con- So, it’s not the photographers, it’s not the
phy. It is not that photography is dead, as ventional practice. camera manufacturers who are behind this
many have said, but it is gone.” revolution, but the telephony engineers.
Today’s visual culture goes far beyond “sim-
Said Stephen Mayes, Managing Director of ple documentation”, and this is just the be- Some are concerned about this develop-
the Tim Hetherington Trust. ginning. ment and denounce its dangers, such as
the excessive manipulation and retouching
A revolution is on and we must adapt. For Photography is not yet in its adulthood be- of images, a recurring debate in the press.
this, he recommends not only to speak of cause the possibilities are far from having But this revolution, whether with or without
photography in new terms, but also to think been explored. photographers, will nevertheless make it
differently and to use it differently. possible to increase content and develop
Its future lies in the accessibility of data, the more complex narratives, which will be
If, for the moment, the builders are still try- development of apps, software and emerg- used in particular to build better journalism.
ing to imitate traditional photography and ing technologies (virtual reality, artificial in-
Emmanuel Kalumbata

Photographer from the Democratic
Republic of Congo, ANASTASIE LANGU
LAWINNER studied in private and judicial law at the
Protestant University of Congo (UPC).
Falling under the spell of photography, she decided to change her path
to follow her new passion. Journey and achievements
Being new in the world of photography, she received a one month train-
2019 : selected for the contemporary fair at Doual’Art
ing at Shaw Academy to master her camera in manual mode, which will
2018 : Exhibition Megalopolis “the voices of Kinshasa” at
become her precious jewel.
Grassi’s Museum in Leipzig, Germany from
November 30 to March 30, 2019
Intelligent, creative, poetic, instinctive, revolting and electric in her work,
Curators: Freddy Tsimba and Eddy Ekete
she exteriorizes her heart, her feelings, her desire to talk about what is
2018 : “Woman Power” exhibition at bandjoun station in
bothering or not, the moments of her repressed past also photographic
Cameroon November 16, 2018 - June 2019
series around colonization, human mobility and the marginalization of
Curators: carine djuidje and Alicia Knock
women.
2018 : selected by the program SPARK FOR A BRIGE
(Artistic residence)
Doing her works with great passion and being inspired by great pho-
- A support program for young Congolese artists
tographers such as Misha Gordin, Ayana Jackson, Kiripi, George Senga,
comfortable giving space and materials
Samy Boloji, Joana Choumali and Michele Magema, Anastasie follows
2018 : Residence and exhibition at the RIAC meeting interna
her own artistic approach by distinguishing herself from other indepen-
Contemporary Art Festival 7th Edition
dent photographers.
From September 3 - 23, 2018
from Brazzaville
She has been providing professional photography services for three
2018 : Master Art 3rd Edition Kin Art Studio From May 25 - 03
years in her visual communication agency called Anas Vision.
June 2018
- International Artists and Artists Residency Program
Passionate about photography, she strive to promote the Art in the DRC
(Organized by Barthélémy Toguo and Vitshois Mwil
and the rest of Africa and works as the national president of an African
ambwe Bondo)
federation on photographic Art.
Emmanuel Kalumbata
Science Discovery
5 REVELATIONS ABOUT
HUMAN BRAIN
The brain is a complex organ that we only use 10%!
Advances in technology and science have led to new dis-
coveries that have led to a better understanding of how it
works and to the development of medical techniques to
better treat it.
Beyond all the possibilities of this formidable organ, 5 small

revelations about the human brain fascinated us. We share
them with you!
1. The brain grows up to 25 years pend on our brain and we can see it with and blood (information is sent from the
the case of reflexes: when we place a belly to the brain).
The brain is a complex organ. It devel- hand on a very hot surface, we remove
ops from the first month of pregnancy it immediately. It’s the spinal cord, not 80% of messages occur in the belly and
with the appearance of the first neuron. the brain, that sent a message to the then go into the brain. This is how we
After each second, 3000 neurons are muscles because we have sensors all realize that we are hungry, ill or satis-
created. After 6 months, the fetus rec- over the body. fied.
ognizes a few syllables of his mother’s They tell us that the surface on which
language. we laid our hand is too hot. 4.The brain is malleable
For some sensations, it is the organs
From 0 to 1 year, the limbic system de- that react and then the brain that syn- Whatever the activity is, if it is practiced
velops (the zone of emotions: crying, thesizes all the information. regularly the brain will change to accel-
anger, love, etc.). The baby is also stim- erate the exchange of information. This
ulated with words. So, if a person is stressed, they will feel is the case of gifted children.
During adolescence and puberty, two a contraction in their intestine and the
zones come into conflict: the prefrontal brain will pick up the information and After a year of practice, the brain begins
cortex (the decision-making zone) and react accordingly. to evolve.
the limbic system. The brain then adapts its structure be-
Then between the ages of 18 and 25, 3. The belly is our second brain cause repeating the movements chang-
thinking takes precedence over emo- es the way neurons function: gestures
tions. Our belly is the home to a nervous sys- become automatic when neuronal
At 25, the brain is adult and at the top tem that resembles that of the brain. pathways become more structured and
of its ability That is why it is called the “second information circulates faster.
brain”.
This is how certain areas of the brain
2. The brain is not the source of emo The digestive system is ahead of the become larger than others. The cere-
tions brain: during the development of the fe- bellum works on speed and the corpus
The brain is not the master of all our tus, it is ready first because it ensures callosum allows synchronization of the
reactions. In the beginning, scientists the development of the whole body. right and left side.
opposed reasoning with emotion. How- The two nervous systems are thus in-
ever, it was subsequently demonstrat- timately linked. These two parts of the brain then trans-
ed that these two areas are comple- mit more messages.
mentary. They communicate through the vagus 5. The brain is paralyzed in case of
nerve (information flows from the ner- danger
The reaction of the body does not de- vous system of the brain into the belly)

Discovery
Science
In case of danger, the different parts of the brain compete. They have the same goal: to survive. Some activities are then
temporarily paralyzed for the benefit of others.
Part of our brain analyzes the information coming from our environment and the other part is connected to the body and
its sensations. These two parts are complementary but most of the time they clash. We are then hostage to our emotions
in dangerous situations.
Heracleion
A CITY DISCOVERED UNDER
WATER AFTER 1500 YEARS.
The city of Heracleion was submerged underwater 1500 years ago. excavations led by Franck Goddio.
This great city had been mentioned by the Greek writer Herodotus, The ancient Egyptian city Heracleion finally begins to reveal its
a historian of the fifth century before our era. history. Its existence suggested that this city was one of the main
Egyptian ports for maritime traffic from the Greek world. Idea con-
When the French marine archaeologist Franck Goddio stumbled on firmed by the elements found on the site.
relics in 2000, they led him to one of the greatest discoveries of the
21st century: an underwater city. This city was founded in the 8th century BC, well before the founda-
tion of the mythical Alexandria in -331 BC, before being completely
Goddio was looking for Napoleon’s warships during the Battle of submerged by the Mediterranean 1200 years ago.
the Nile in 1798 when he made this discovery.
After this event, it was almost impossible to find written records of
Heraclion is an ancient city of ancient Egypt, located near Aboukir. the existence of this city, called Thonis, in the rare Greek testimo-
It was discovered in 1992 with Canope, the neighboring city, en- nies of the time.
gulfed in the bay of Aboukir, during the underwater archaeological
Emmanuel Kalumbata

REPORT
SOME IMAGES OF THE PASSAGE
OF THE FIRST LADY OF DRC IN THE USA

REPORT
FALLY IPUPA IN “AMERICA

SUMMER TOUR 2019
Nobody is unaware that, if there is a Congolese artist very much in
demand in the musical world, currently it is none other than the
one called El Profesor, Dicaprio La Merveille, Fally Ipupa , the
man on the agenda very overloaded.
The “Control” man has performed in more than 10 Ameri-

can cities. He began his tour on July 05, 2019 in Edmon-
ton, Canada. He then traveled to Montreal and Toron-
to on July 6 and 7, 2019.
It is in the USA that the King of Congolese mu-

sic Fally Ipupa continued his “America Sum-
mer Tour”.
His first concert in America was on

July 12 at Apollo Theater, the legend-
ary showroom in Harlem, New York.
July 13 in the capital Washington DC
at Howard Theater and July 14 at Duke
Progressive. Theater in Raleigh.
He continued with a series of concerts in Port-

land (Aura), Dallas (Lava Catina) and Manson
Elan in Atlanta on July 19, 20 and 21, 2019.
It’s in San Francisco that He closed his American tour

in Slim’s Hall on July 28 after his concert at Moonvilly
Highscool in Phoenix on July 27, 2019.
Its Without doubt, that no Congolese artist has ever made such
a tour of North America since Luambo
Makiadi’ time.
Emmanuel Kalumbata

Pictures taken by
Emmanuel Kalumbata


Awakening Africa Magazine (September Edition)

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Awakening Africa Magazine (September Edition)

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Awakening Africa Magazine 1

ERIC MUKADI FOUNDATION

Awakening Africa Magazine 3

A frican diasporas play an important role in the economic

Africa being an important market for business opportunities and

That’s why Awakening Africa magazine strives to encourage and

We offer quarterly economic, social and cultural information to help

As we are building a strong African community, we strive to awaken,

We encourage the evolution of thoughts towards emergence.

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08 63 Economy and Finance

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On the occasion of the Launch of the Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi

In the shadow of President Félix-Antoine TSHISEKEDI shines a bright star

This star is named Denise NYAKERU NKANA. Nurse by profession, the

In the light of her official biography written by Father Jean-Bosco BAHALA,

The thorns of the rose

Denise Nyakeru Tshisekedi, however, has had a dark childhood.

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On the contrary, enormous thorns have littered her career, which

Raised by her maternal uncle, Father Silvestre Ngami after the

The choice of this charitable profession may well justify her

on the official launch on of her foundation called Foundation

Immediately after becoming the First Lady, Denise Nyakeru

On March 8, 2019, during the celebration of

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“STRONGER”, VISION OF THE DENISE

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At the beginning of July, Denise Nyakeru participated in the

She took the opportunity to take part in the Symposium

Countless women and children in the Democratic Republic

Eric Ossongo KADIMA & Raïssa Tshikandama

Awakening Africa Magazine 11

DR. ARIKANA MOBILIZE THE AFRICAN DIASPORA, THAT IS,

CHIHOMBORI - QUAO OUTSIDE AFRICA.

AFRICAN UNION AMBASSADOR

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WE AFRICANS ARE BEAUTIFUL, INTELLIGENT, SOPHISTICATED, EXTREMELY

Dr. Arikana Chihombori Quao

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1. Can you tell us about your business?

Awakening Africa Magazine 15

Joël R. KANYONYO BAMUTANGA, 32, is a Congolese entrepre-

After his stint at the Kinshasa Academy of Fine Arts in Interior

In 2013, in Lubumbashi, the second city and the economic capi-

Mid-2016, He launches the company “REGULUS

In 2017, in a tense political environment in his country, he suc-

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The vision is to solidly establish and to streamline

Over 18 year of career ranging from engineer-

Anjelo has more than 20 years in the management of

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However, it is dramatic be- In view of the table present-

Awakening Africa Magazine 23

Being primarily a father and a husband, Gauthier Mutombo is

Holder of a degree in computer science and engineering.

Very ambitious and very serious when it comes to working, He

1. What are your responsibilities as a busi- portunities for growth.

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Ms. Cilumba is an educated multi-lingual woman with profes-

1. What shifted your mentality to be self-employed versus