Community Newsletter - Spring 2007
Introductory Message and Notes
Greetings! Members of the INGA community started the year 2007 in Oakland while celebrat-ing the New Year eve. Then in February, a General Assembly meet-ing was held in San Jose/Campbell city. At the General Assembly meeting, the Board of Directors presented to members the 2007 ac-tivities plan and operat¬ing budget for the year. The general assembly decided that a sound fiscal discipline was needed by putting some spending constraints in 2007. Thus a reduction in the number of com-munity activities was
Independence Day
This year, the Independ-ence Day theme was 2007 Congolese cultural awareness. The event had two parts: the first one was conference - discussion on various subject of interested to our members. The con-ference was followed by
voted by members. The 2007 INGA activities were reduced to: Inde-pendence Day, Labor Day Picnic/BBQ, Elec-tion Day, and New Year eve. Members also ex-pressed their genuine interest to see the com-munity doing some kind of gesture to welcoming new comers, helping members in need, and assisting members who lost their loved ones back home when organizing something here.
In the meeting members insisted that the Independence Day celebration should be given more weight among the other events since the majority of our members are Congolese.
Congolese model fashion show and Congolese drums. The second part was the traditional Congolese independence celebration with world- class Congolese music and dance led by Calvert Balumbu as DJ.
It's a great opportunity to go back to our roots and our origin in brief by ex¬posing our Congolese culture. To many people, the Independence Day is an opportunity to ex-pose our US born chil-dren to our very diverse and rich culture and ulti¬mately share it with our "Serving on the Board of Directors or Regional Council is a voluntary civic duty
and a community commitment to honor"
Conferences
The subjects went from: health care awareness, Congo-history, and busi-ness development in Congo, Information Tech-nology, politic and social transitions in Congo:
1. Institutional Stability in Congo-Zaire: National Reconstruction Historical Benchmarks. Mr Sylvain Mbumba Tshikoji;
2. Congolese Diaspora: Awareness and Action for Development in the DRC. Papa Fungula Ngondji;
3. Topicality in Public health: Arterial Hypertension, The Silent Killer. Dr. Salima Mutima;
4. Policies for Development of Tourist Industry in DRC. Mr. Mathias Mulengwa ;
5. Information Technology and telecommunications: Contribution of the Dias-pora and Prospects for the Development. Mr. Delphin B. Kyubwa.
Music and Congolese Food
This year a special ac¬cent was put on the fash¬ion element of our cul¬ture. This was a chance to see clearly the diver¬sity of skills that resides in our community in Northern California. A fantastic fashion show of Young Congolese Models led by Esther Djuma was applauded by all. It was a successful event :
Maman Pierrette Luamba, Papa Costa, Lisette Munung, Françoise Bulaya, Alice Bisimwa, Maman Mapassa, Leandra Mukaz, Robert Thiunza, Baudouin Bulaya, Papa Fungula, Shakadi and Kwetambo, Malilo Kapapa, Amani Kyubwa, and Joel Bulaya.
Many members were grateful to Thierry Mukaz who was busy all day transport¬ing people from the parking lot to the event's place. It was really a group's effort that made it possible.
Recognition
We had the opportunity to recognize members who had contributed in different ways to the success of the organization .This year, recogni¬tion awards went to: Papa Fungula for out¬standing community leadership; Saji Mwanza for outstanding commu¬nity services as member of the board of directors; and the Couple Daniel and Jose Nikuna for outstanding INGA Association membership.
Community Growth
INGA Community keeps growing in two ways: by a number of new born and new comers.
New Borns:
1. Makuba's family: baby boy, Josua;
2. Mbiye's family: baby boy, Nathan;
3. Mulumba's family: baby boy, Tresor;
4. Demby's family: baby girl, Berione;
5. Saleh's family: baby girl, Zugu
Please let's give a round of applause in congratulating those wonderful parents and welcoming those young children into our community New Comers:
1.Lyevin Mwamba
2.Ernestine Mwan asali
3.Imani Mwanasali
4.Jean Manzambi
5.Elizabeth Manzambi
6. Lisette Manzambi
7. Sandra Manzambi
8. Eric Manzambi
9. Evelyne Manzambi
10. Mariette Manzambi
11 .Landry Manzambi
12. Destain Webster
13. Lauriane Webster
Please let's give a round of applause in welcoming these new members of our wonderful community.
This was another dem-onstration of our strength of our commu-nity characterized by the African solidarity and spirit of sharing. It was a good feeling to see everyone helping somehow with it: for example frying/BBoing, cutting the watermelon, setting up tables, removing trash, also packing the coolers etc.... Special thanks to the following members for the outstanding lead¬ership and coordination of this event. Maman Ma-passa, Davin Nganga,
Important Upcoming Events
On November 17, 2007, members of the INGA Community will elect the new leader-ship of the INGA Asso-ciation. The vacant positions up for elec¬tion are: vacant local council members and the President , the oath officer of the INGA Association.
This is a seat of great importance and re-sponsibility. This is the most important event of the calendar year because it will deter¬mine the future of the INGA for the next two years.
INGA has made great progress as an organization where the leaders are elected through a democratic process of transparency, fairness to all and full accountability. We strongly invite all members to run for any vacant position and en-courage them to visit our website and download the Bylaws.
Previous year's newslet¬ter will also arm candi¬dates with solid back¬ground or information as candidate.
Financial Matters Election Organizing Team... 2008 New Year eve
As a Community Associa-tion, INGA Association is a members supported or-ganization. Our budget de-pends on membership con-tribution and we strongly encourage those who haven't paid their commu-nity dues to do so now. In August, a semi-financial report was sent to all via community distribution group email.
For the 2007 elections, vol-unteer members of the INGA Independent Electoral Com-mission are:
Ms. Iris Musuambo
of Sacramento;
Mr. Daniel Nikuna of Salinas;
Mr. Fidele Mutima
of Oakland;
Mr. Joel Bulaya of Sacramento
As always, INGA will cele¬brate our traditional New Year eve event together. Stay tuned for more information Community of Congolese& Friends of Northern California Communication Community input, suggestions or comments are welcomed anytime by email at: ingaleadership@yahoogroups.com
Mailing Address: PO BOX 255192 Sacramento, CA 95865
Manu Kapapa,
Public Relations Officer
Contributor: Leadership Team
Editor and Designer: Kakazi G. Kitenge