GBA News

GBA was featured in the cover story of the December/January issue of Bloom Magazine. The article, "From the Heart of Indiana to the Heart of Africa" discusses GBA's work in the DRC and our connection to Bloomington, IN.

The Scholars, Dorothee, Ann Marie and MeghannJanuary 2009 Trip to Kinshasa

In January GBA co-founder, Ann Marie Thomson, and executive director, Meghann Beer, traveled to Kinshasa, DRC. They visited the Protestant University in Congo to work with the GBA Scholars and the university administration on establishing the Scholars' Giving Back Projects; the key element of the GBA Scholars Program. They also visited GBA's partner organization, PAID, to continue to develop our collaboration. Visit our photo gallery to see pictures from the recent trip and click here to see a video of the GBA Scholars at PAID.

Upcoming Events

Check back soon.

Newsletters

Articles

Past Events

October 20th, 2009: GBA Student Association showed the film Lumumba on the IU Bloomington campus.

April 23, 2009: Congo Day at Rider University. This Congo awareness day was hosted by Rider University 2009 Master's degree candidate Arthur-Kalala Katalayi, and gave people the opportunity to learn more about the DRC and GBA's programs. To read more about this event click here.

The Greatest Silence film showing

April 1, 2009: The GBA Student Association showed the film The
Greatest Silence: Rape in Congo. Joseph Mbangu, the assistant producer of the film, joined us to speak about the film and the situation in eastern DRC.


March March 25, 2009: The SPEA student organizations and the GBA Student Association organized a fundraiser for GBA at Mother Bear's Pizza in Bloomington, IN. The event was a great success. More than 100 people attended and Mother Bear's generously donated $2 for every pizza sold!

December 2, 2008: GBA Student Association film screening and discussion about the current conflict in the DRC with Professor Osita Afoaku.This event was part of the first annual Africa Awareness week at Indiana University Bloomington, which was organized by IU student groups, including the GBA Student Association, that are working to raise awareness about issues in Africa on the IUB campus.

September 29 - October 12, 2008: GBA Art Show at the Village Deli in Bloomington, IN. The art display consisted of drawings, photos, and writings by children from Kinshasa, DRC and from Bloomington's Binford Elementary school. The opening reception was organized with help from GBA's IU Student Association.

PAID students' drawing

In 2006, a fourth grader from Bloomington, Anna Wienberg, called Ann Marie Thomson, co-founder of Giving Back to Africa, to ask how she could make a positive contribution to young people in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This desire to learn more about children her age in a different culture, and to seek positive ways to connect with them is the essence of giving back. Her curiosity, imagination, vision, and desire to make a positive difference in the world in which she lives inspired the connection between GBA and Mrs. Cummings fourth grade class at Binford Elementary School in Bloomington, IN.

Members of the GBA board visited Mrs. Cummings' class twice to speak about the DRC and to share stories about how children live and learn at PAID, an orphanage and school outside of Kinshasa with whom GBA partners. Twice, the Binford fourth graders collected educational materials and supplies that GBA board members took to the orphans during their visits to the DRC.

PAID students' drawing

The students at Binford and the students at the orphanage reached out to each other more collaboratively through art. By sharing pictures and personal thoughts with each other, it is remarkable to consider how fourth graders in Bloomington, IN and the Democratic Republic of Congo discovered that, though thousands of miles away, they are not so different after all. This art show was a testament to the fact that differences in culture and distance need not separate us from the human capacity to experience our common humanity and share what we have with others. The art show was originally displayed at Binford Elementary School during the Lotus Blossoms educational outreach event.

Presentation at the International School in IndianapolisSeptember 21, 2008: GBA Congo Lunch Forum at the Unitarian Universalist Church. This event included a traditional Congolese meal, a film screening, and a presentation by GBA board members.

February 9, 2008: International School forum on Congo in Indianapolis. Ann Marie Thomson, GBA co-founder, presented on GBA's work in the DRC.