MIZERO Children of Rwanda Choir to perform at the UN as part of their FORGIVENESS TOUR in the U.S.A.
The message of Forgiveness coming from the mouth of babes! These young orphans and vulnerable children from the beautiful country of Rwanda in Africa between the ages of 11 to 18 years of age will delight and inspire their audiences in song, drumming and dancing!

In December, a group of Rwandan children will arrive in the U.S. as young cultural and peace ambassadors to take audiences on a journey into the lives of the Rwandan people through music, dance, costumes and drumming. They are known as the MIZERO Children of Rwanda which in Kinyarwanda, the language of their home land, means HOPE MIZERO EPK video

While many organizations are helping Rwanda recover from the 1994 genocide, few have addressed the issue of cultural brokenness. My vision for MIZERO is to build, bring and to spread hope to Rwandan children through our vibrant music and dance traditions. It is my goal to mentor them to help them discover the power of forgiveness as I have, to help these young ones grow up free from hatred, bitterness and the spirit of revenge.  This use of the arts combined with the message of forgiveness can help these children heal their wounds from the past and put a stop to violence and any future genocide through this next generation of young leaders.  says MIZERO founder and CEO, Jean Paul Samputu

The UN has declared the year 2009 as the Year of Reconciliation.  Samputu and MIZERO have embarked on an impassioned 2009 schedule filled with activities that focus on the topic of Forgiveness as a Step to Reconciliation.  This includes the FORGIVENESS TOUR, various conferences and concerts, and global conferences called GATHERING OF FORGIVENESS: A Step to Reconciliation, to be held in Rwanda in February and July 2009 which will also commemorate the 15th year of the Rwandan genocide.

This inspirational tour s highlight will be the children s performance at the UN at the Global South-South Development Expo, in conjunction with the Fifth United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation on Dec. 19th http://ssc.undp.org. The troupe was brought to the U.S. by the UNDP Special Unit for South-South Cooperation as part of its fifth UN Day for South-South Cooperation. They have also been invited to perform at the conference: Advancing Cooperation between the United Nations and World’s Religion.  which will take place in New York on December 16th 2008 at UNICEF Labouisse Hall.  In addition, the MIZERO children are looking forward to exchanging with children from various schools in the Greenwich, Connecticut area. They will be jamming with the Djole Drum and Dance Company from South Carolina who will be making a special trip to New York City to meet with the MIZERO children. The MIZERO children will experience Christmas with the gracious hosts from Foxhill Bruderhof Community in Walden, NY.

The MIZERO foundation welcomes financial donations, donation of Christmas gifts for the children, or if you can make available a van or bus for transportation needs while in NY and the tri-state area. Donations checks can be made out to SACRED CITY, INC. and mailed to 83 Christopher Street, New York, NY 10014.  If your group, organization or church would like information about having the children perform at your event, anytime from December 27th through to January 23rd, please contact us at (438) 275-5147 or (828) 507-1848 or email us at .

MIZERO Children of Rwanda believes that through music and arts, youth receive self-confidence, life skills and creative expression to help them heal and go forward. These children are sharing their gift of music and performance while raising awareness about the 1 million other orphans of Rwanda.

Grace and Peace,
Jean Paul Samputu (438) 275-5147
Founder of MIZERO Children of Rwanda

Mizero Children of Rwanda Bringing, Building, Spreading: Hope

Voices of angels singing in unison, drum beats thumping, bright coloured blue and white beads shimmering from their traditional garb. Twelve Rwandan orphans, who survived the 1994 genocide, dance and heal the weary soul of the onlooker through their music.

The Mizero, which means ‘hope’ in Kinyarwanda, troupe is led by founder and famous musician, Jean-Paul Samputu, winner of the prestigious Kora Award. The children performers are between the ages of 10 to 15. They raise awareness about the one million orphaned children who suffered the brutalities of murder and rape of families and friends by the ethnic strife in Rwanda.

In October 2007, the tour kicked off in Asheville, North Carolina. One of the final performances was held at the UN in New York City in December 2007. The performance told a story about how the children became orphaned. Some children were abandoned by their mothers who were victims of rape. Other children were orphaned because their parents were either killed during the civil war or died of diseases. Some were lost and separated from their families in refugee camps but concluded with Mizero. The children drew strength from religion and the power of prayer.

Through traditional music and dance, Jean-Paul empowers the children by building on their self-confidence and life skills. “They have learned to work together and love one another despite their troubled past,” says Brent Swanson, President of the Mizero Foundation. “Through the arts, they have come together as one to reveal Christ’s message of hope, peace, and love,” adds Brent.

Mizero made their debut in December 2006. The musicians from the Lake Eden Arts Festival in North Carolina wanted to help orphaned children in Rwanda. They traveled to Rwanda to meet Jean-Paul. Not only did they set up a safe place for the children to meet every week to play music with traditional instruments but also created a mentorship programme and provided the troupe with costumes in which Jennifer Pickering played an important role.

By selling hand-made goods, coffee and music from Rwanda, Jean-Paul and Brent hope to realize one of the goals of the Mizero Foundation. They would like to create an arts academy at the university level where students will have a general education and an opportunity to learn about the traditional arts from East and Central African cultures.

As a survivor of genocide whose parents were killed by his own neighbours, Jean-Paul understands the power of forgiveness to promote peace. But he believes that perpetrators should be accountable for their actions, particularly the leadership who are responsible for the atrocities. “Know that children are watching what you are doing. We must be a good example and have commitment to peace and responsibility to others,” he says.

“My vision for Mizero is to build, bring and spread hope to Rwanda children through our vibrant music and dance traditions,” Jean-Paul adds. “We hope to give these children a platform to speak to the world,” says Brent.

Mizero [Hope] through the eyes of Rwandan children

By Susan Kang

http://www.un.org/works/sub3.asp?lang=es&id=42

“BOSTON (FOX25, myfoxboston.com) — The Mizero Children is a talented troupe of Rwandan orphans who carry an unforgettable message of hope and joy through song, dance and drumming. Check out their recent performance on the FOX25 Morning News”

http://www.myfoxboston.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=BDB14E98C2EEBF8DDD702B2C03E3092E?contentId=5250835&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1

“The Mizero Children, with their leader, Jean Paul Samputu, danced joyfully to the rhythms of drums at Hope Chapel Saturday night for an audience of more than 150 people. The performers are on a quest to prevent another genocide from coming in 20 or 30 years as revenge for their murdered parents.”

By Jean Laquidara Hill TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

http://www.telegram.com/assets/static/video/2007/mizero/index2.html

“On November 3, 2007 The Anglican Church of the Redeemer was visited by THE MIZERO CHILDREN from Rwanda”

for pictures, please visit: http://www.acotr.com/Mizero.html

“"We are here in the hope to perform in different states singing different songs and worship songs and other traditional songs,” Performer Olivier Adayishimye said. Rwandan tradition says the dances performed Tuesday are dances of royalty. Like many of their kind, they tell a story of a bright future and good things to come. A message the Mizero Children of Rwanda bring to Wilmington. “Little by little people have jumped in in terms of what the community has done is overwhelming in terms of the clothing and the food everyone has pitched in,” Resident Grant Pace said. - Meghan Torjussen

http://72.3.224.62/video/rwandan_orphans_perform_in_wilmington/10

“On Tuesday, Oct. 23, a group of Rwandan children took the audience t Southwestern Community College on a journey into the lives of the Rwandan people through music, dance, costumes and drumming. They are known as the Mizero Troupe.In Kinyarwanda, mizero means hope. Most of the youth were orphaned during the 1994 genocide. Led by musician Jean-Paul Samputu, the youth share their gift of music and performance while raising awareness about the million other orphans. http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071024/NEWS01/71023090/1256

“Music! Music is the main love of all of us at LEAF. We witnessed the healing power and the ability to communicate across borders that the language of music provides. Hearing the kids drum and sing for the first time was so powerful. Listening, surrounded by orphans as they sang “we are the future of humanity” moved us all to tears. I knew then we were doing something good and they were right; they truly are the future. - Aaron - LEAF Rwanda Crew

http://www.charleston.net/videos/2007/oct/25/176/
http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200771023090

This extraordinary first tour began at the Lake Eden Arts Festival in Asheville, N.C., in October and will conclude at the United Nations Day in New York in December.  This Mizero or “Hope” tour will bring awareness of the present status of Rwanda, as well as raise financial support to build an arts-centered academy, where they will learn the necessary skills to be the next leaders of the country.

MIZERO Children of Rwanda’s US Hope Tour

October – December 2007

* Open Dates
Date: Where: Event:
October 16 Washington, DC Touring Day
October 17 Newport, NC Father’s House (4 church event)
October 19-21 Black Mountain, NC LEAF International Festival
October 21 Sylva, NC First Baptist Church
October 22 Sylva, NC South Western Community College
October 24 - 26 Mt. Pleasant, SC St. Andrew’s Church
October 27 Mt. Pleasant, SC Greater Goodwill AME Church
October 28 St. Pauley’s Island All Saint’s Church AMiA
October 30 Wilmington, NC Wilmington Yoga Center Event
November 1 Knoxville, TN Apostles Anglican AMiA
November 2-3 Chattanooga, TN Anglican Church of the Redeemer AMiA
November 4 Atlanta, GA Central United Methodist Church
November 6 Abindale, GA The Children’s School
November 7-9 Montreal, Canada Montreal Millennium Summit
November 10
November 11 Montreal, Canada Église Sans Frontières
November 12 Sedona, AZ Future Studios WEBCAST
November 13 Catonsville, MD Emmaus Anglican Church
November 14 Washington DC National Presbyterian School
November 15 Bethlehem, PA Lehigh Universtiy - International Week
November 16 Doylestown, PA Pebble Hill Community Event
November 18 Greenwich, CT Old Greenwich Presbyterian Church
November 19 Greenwich, CT Central Middle School
November 20 Greenwich, CT Greenwich High School
November 21-26
November 28 Los Angeles, CA Knott’s Berry Farm
November 29 Los Angeles, CA Saddleback Church
November 30 Lake Forrest, CA Saddleback Church - Global Summit on Aids in the Church
Evening concert 7:00pm - 9:00pm (open to the public)
December 1 Lake Forrest, CA Saddleback Church - Youth Summit
4:30pm and 6:30pm High School Services
December 2 Lake Forrest, CA Saddleback Church - Youth Summit
9:00 am - High School Service
December 3 East Boston, MA MARIO UMANA MIDDLE SCHOOL ACADEMY
December 4 Bow ,NH Bow High School
December 5 Bedford ,NH Bedford High School
December 5 East Walpole, MA Union Congregational Church
December 6 Springfield, NH Grace Children’s Home
December 7 North Sutton, NH Kearsarge Regional High School
December 8 Sterling, MA Hope Chapel
December 9 Bedford, NH Bedford Community Church
December 10 UN Performance at the UN for Human Rights Day — not open to the public
December 12-14 Ovid, NY

* Global Education Motivators school days
* Ovid Federated Church

December 15 New Canaan, CN New Canaan YMCA Event
December 16 White Plains, NY The Presbyterian Church of White Plains
December 17 Bound Brook, NJ Bound Brook Presbyterian Church
December 18 New York City, NY

* Friends Seminary
222 East 16th St.
NY, NY 10003
Margaux D’Auteuil Peabody
(212) 979-5035 x. 211
2:25-3:10 - Performance – to students and faculty
* Om Factory
Evening yoga class & performance 6:00pm - 10:00pm (open to the public)

December 19 New York City, NY

* United Nations Day
* Children’s Peace Concert
1:00–2:30 - Wish Pearl World, 246 W 38th St. between 7th & 8th Mizero Children and Jean Paul Samputu to perform Rwandan dances, drumming and music