Open Country Mag is exclusively revealing the release of Ekosimba, billed by its curators as “the first contemporary Congolese anthology” of literature. It is a multilingual curation of 63 poems by writers from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and its diaspora, and will be available in October 2026, during Congo Week. Its publisher is Mlimani Editions, in partnership with Friends of the Congo (FOTC), who will distribute it globally through Ingram.
Ekosimba is a non-profit project created to increase the visibility of the Congolese literary community, including emerging and established writers, while supporting people and communities affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Eastern Congo. One hundred per cent of proceeds from the collection will go towards grassroots charities supporting affected individuals and communities in the DRC, including Congolese females affected by war-related sexual violence.
The anthology brings together poetry and prose that move beyond media narratives dominated by the endless conflict through which Congo is often encountered internationally. Across its pages, writers explore memory, personal identity, war, the enduring strength of the human spirit, and the possibility of renewal, offering a collection concerned not only with what Congo has endured but also with how its people remember, imagine, and tell their own stories.
For organisers Loic Ekinga and Laurène Southe, the project began with a shared interest in writing and a shared heritage. The two first met on social media and “formed a connection due to their shared heritage and interest in writing,” they told Open Country Mag. The project was inspired by “the lack of visibility for Congolese literature.” That absence is particularly striking when considered alongside Congo’s long and documented history. “While the Kingdom of Kongo, the historical predecessor of modern-day Congo, remains one of the most well-documented historical states in Africa,” they said, “the literary traditions and works produced by Congolese writers have received comparatively little recognition beyond the region.”
The anthology responds to a larger problem in the way African histories and cultures are preserved and circulated. “This disparity reflects a broader tendency to preserve African history through the accounts of outsiders while overlooking the literary voices through which Congolese people have recorded, interpreted, and imagined their own experiences,” Ekinga and Southe said.
The book cover was illustrated by Richard Monsembula Nzaaba, known professionally as Monzari, an illustrator based in Kinshasa.
The Curators
Loic Ekinga is a writer from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is the author of the poetry collection How to Wake a Butterfly (Odyssey Books, 2021). His works of fiction and poetry have appeared in Agbowò, Tint Journal, Ubwali, Africa 20.35, Iamb wave 22, Type/Cast Magazine, Salamander Ink, Ja. Magazine, Poetry Potion, Lolwe, A Long House, New Contrast, Brittle Paper, and elsewhere. He is a finalist of Poetry Africa’s Slam Jam competition, a Kasala writer and teacher, and a Best Of The Net nominee.
Laurène is a Vienna-based writer of Congolese heritage. She is the author of the poetry collection Child of Congo (2025) and the chapbook BFFACOC (2026). Her work has been published in Brittle Paper, The Shallow Tales Review, Lọ́unlọ́un, and the African Migration Report Poetry Anthology. In 2023, she completed a writer residency with Echo Correspondence.
The 63 Contributors
Gracia “Cianga” Mwamba is a Congolese artist based in California, by way of South Africa. They have an MFA from Bennington College and their work seeks to decolonize language and knowledge. Cianga is the winner of the Evaristo Prize for African Poetry, a semifinalist for the Cave Canem Poetry Prize and NFSPS Board Award. Their work can additionally be found in New England Review, Rappahannock Review, Berkeley Fiction Review and elsewhere.
Sarah Lubala is a Congolese-born poet and writer based in Cape Town. Her family’s history of fleeing political unrest in the DRC informs her work on forced migration, gender-based violence, xenophobia, and identity. She holds an MSc from the London School of Economics. Her debut collection, A History of Disappearance (2022), won the 2024 Ingrid Jonker Prize and the 2023 NIHSS Award for poetry, following recognition from Open Country Mag and The Africa Report. Lubala also won the international Castello Di Duino XIV Prize. Her poetry has been twice shortlisted for the Gerald Kraak Award, shortlisted for the Brittle Paper Award, longlisted for the Sol Plaatje EU Award, and published in the Mail & Guardian, Brittle Paper, and Apogee Journal.
Nadia Nsayi (b. 1984) is a political scientist who specialises in the Congo. After studying comparative and international politics at KU Leuven she worked as the Congo policy officer at Broederlijk Delen and Pax Christi Flanders. The focus of her work was peace and public participation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with special responsibility for the capital Kinshasa and the east of the country (the provinces of North and South Kivu). She also kept an eye on the situation in neighbouring countries Rwanda and Burundi. She now draws on what she learned in those roles as image curator at the Museum aan de Stroom (MAS) in Antwerp.
Yala Nadia Kisukidi is a French philosopher, writer and academic, who has re-examined the notion of “blackness” with its colonial implications in France and the rest of Europe. Also interested in contemporary art, she has been selected as one of two curators for the 2020 Yango Biennale in Kinshasa. Kisukidi, who has written widely on French and Africana philosophy, published Bergson ou l’humanité créatrice in 2013.
Pierre Kwenders, a singer and rapper, similarly weaves his stories across the boundaries of language and geography. José Louis and the Paradox of Love is a culmination of personal growth and the musical dexterity he has honed over the years, converging his strong songwriting capabilities with the bravado he possesses as a DJ. The album, which was awarded the prestigious Polaris Music Prize, explores an ongoing search to grasp the universal complexities of romance, sometimes through the lens of Kwenders’ own intimate experiences.
Yannick Diekeno Ilunga (born 24 August 1990), known professionally as Petite Noir, is a South African raised, Belgian born, Congolese musician, singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. His debut extended play The King of Anxiety was released in January 2015 and his debut studio album La vie est belle / Life Is Beautiful was released in September of the same year via Domino Records’ Double Six Imprint.
Maliyamungu Gift Muhande is an artist and filmmaker. Her work often begins with something she cannot yet explain: an image that troubles her, a word that catches, a feeling for which she does not yet have language. She follows it until it becomes a question.
Germain Ngandu, Messager de la Paix, Slammer Messenger of Peace, born in Kindu/Maniema, July 14, 1996. Congolese Poet Writer from the Democratic Republic of Congo, passionate about writing since a young age. Author and composer of several audio and video slams. Upon his arrival in Kisangani/Tshopo (DRC) due to studies, the Messenger of Peace created a collective of Kisangani Slam artists called KIS-SLAM in September 2021, with the objective of “Promoting the slam of young poets from Kisangani”. It was here where a large artistic world opened up with stage performances (slam evenings, festivals, etc.) and initiations of many other activities linked to slam in particular, and public speaking in general. This young visionary adapts his art in local languages according to circumstances to satisfy his varied audience.
Laurène Southe is a writer based in Vienna, Austria. She began her literary journey with the Vienna African Writers Club and has since performed and exhibited her work across the US, UK, Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. Her writing has appeared in Brittle Paper, The Shallow Tales Review, Read a Little Poem, lounloun, the African Migration Report Poetry Anthology, Elegy Reader (Venice Biennale), and Literatur und Kritik: September Catalogue. She is the author of the chapbook Bullet Fragments from a Child of Congo (2026), the full-length collection Child of Congo: Where It All Began (2025), and a co-founder of the forthcoming Contemporary Congolese Poetry Anthology.
Amason Gaïus, whose real name is Kabuyaya Matolu Gaius, is a poet, slam artist, performer, and researcher specializing in oral literature and African civilizations. Born in Butembo (DRC), he blends classical poetry, traditional oral storytelling, and folk music to breathe new life into ancient African tales. Amason was introduced to the dramatic arts at an early age, honing his skills during secondary school through an inter-school competition organized by the Happening2000 Youth Center in Butembo. This initial step opened the door to the world of poetry for him, particularly through a pivotal meeting with the poet Viteghe Mapson, who enrolled him in the “Cénacle des Poètes – La Plume d’Or” poetry school for a three-year program. It was there that he forged his unique style, combining classical poetry with traditional oral storytelling.
TAFARY-SLAM, whose real name is Muhindo Kashiki Luendo Bashali Elikya is a Congolese rapper, slam artist, songwriter, and performer currently based in Beni, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. He discovered his passion for the art form early on and eventually turned it into a career. Addressing a wide range of themes—and driven by his convictions as a Pan-African revolutionary and human rights advocate—he seeks to raise awareness through his lyrics. TAFARY-SLAM also works as a slam poetry instructor with Cénacle des Mots, a collective of young slam poets from Goma. Since 2019, he has been an active member of GOMA SLAM SESSION, a collective that trains young rappers and slam artists in the city of Goma.
Osée Elektra, whose real name is Akonkwa Bujiriri Osée, is a slammer-poet, rapper and activist from Goma, in the east of the DRC. Winner of the Kema Awards 2022, he stands out for his unique style called “Slam Elektrik”, mixing local folklore and contemporary sounds. Carried by a committed pen, he uses art to raise awareness and revive hope. Author of several singles and an EP entitled “Cocktail”, he performs on numerous regional and international stages. Nicknamed “Soldier”, he embodies an artistic word of resistance and unity. He is also co-founder and artistic director of JUA-Asbl, an organization that puts arts and culture at the service of social engagement in the Great Lakes region.
Mpelenge Zombea Henriette, better known as Henriette Zombea, was born in Kananga on December 1, 2005. He is the younger of two children. His father, who was a soldier, has passed away. Henriette began his artistic journey in 2019 with Goma Slam Session through the “Slam à l’école” program. After that, he joined Slam Academia. In 2021, he took up theater with the organization Gaarj. Today, Henriette continues to learn.
Estimé Nzayikusu Mvutu, better known as Estimé Nzayikusu, was born and raised in Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. From a young age—back in primary school—he would often jot down lines of verse at the back of my notebooks, sometimes adding sketches as well. A burst of artistic inspiration here, a new line of poetry there—Estimé has to admit, he loved what he was doing. A few years later, during high school, he moved beyond just writing poems to becoming a songwriter and composer. That was when he decided to make this passion for writing, music, and art in general a core part of his identity. Today, he is pursuing a specialization in Prosthetics and Orthotics in Lexington, Kentucky—a city that has been his home for the past three years. Yet, he continues to write; it has become an integral part of his life. He hopes to write a book one day to share his experiences and the emotions that life stirs within him.
Justine Masika Bihamba was born in 2000, in Goma where she lives until now. She started writing poetry when she was 14. In addition to poetry, Justine also does visual art (painting and drawing), as well as writing in Cinema since she was very young. Now she makes experimental films that she accompanies with poetry.
SlamineArt005, whose real name is Myrna Cirhigiri Beya, was born on June 20, 2005, in Nyangezi, South Kivu (DRC), to farming parents. Passionate about writing, she pursued literary studies at the Mwanga Institute in Goma. She wrote her first poem in 2020; it was reviewed by Professor Kitandala Zola, who remained her mentor until his death in 2025. She is a member of Cénacle de Mots and Goma Slam Session, and a co-founder of Kivu Slam.
Jordy Mande, known by the stage name Jordyctionnaire, is a Congolese author, slam poet, and comedian born in Lubumbashi (DRC). Holding a state diploma in Mathematics and Physics and a bachelor’s degree in chemical process engineering, he chose early on to heed the call of the arts. After a near-death experience in 2017, he fully committed himself to writing—which he views as therapy, asserting that “slam is therapy.” A finalist in the United Nations Joint Office’s National Slam Poetry Competition in 2018 and winner of the Best Slammer of Grand Katanga award in 2019, he is now recognized as a pioneer of slam poetry in Lubumbashi. His writing—at once satirical, philosophical, and socially engaged—makes Jordyctionnaire a unique voice on the contemporary Congolese slam scene.
Mlezi, a multidisciplinary artist born in the Congo—raised between Goma and Bukavu—and now based in Canada. A passionate self-taught artist, art has always been a part of her life; painting, writing, and spoken word are spaces where she can breathe and share the human experiences that move her—and that she hopes resonate with those who receive and hear them. Mlezi shares her knowledge whenever possible by teaching painting classes, and she dedicates herself to artistic projects that allow her to grow and connect with other creators. Her work is rooted in her love for sharing, as well as in the realities and nuances of our everyday lives. Through each piece, her aim is to encourage people to listen attentively—both to themselves and to others.
Grace Cubaka, a daughter of the Congo, from the city of Goma in the North Kivu province. She completed my preschool, primary, and secondary education in Goma; it as during her final year of high school that she discovered the art of spoken word through the inaugural edition of the “Slam à l’école” (Slam in Schools) program by SLAM SESSION. Since then, art has transformed her; it opened her eyes to the reality of her country and, above all, gave her the opportunity to speak out rather than remain silent. Initially, her writing expressed her outrage regarding gender-based violence—which was the specific theme of that edition. She later pursued university studies in Law in Burundi, where she continued this advocacy alongside young Congolese members of the diaspora there.
Lina Mg (Bintu Mugobe Pascaline) is a Congolese slam artist and poet born in Bukavu. Passionate about the spoken word since 2017, she discovered a space for freedom, identity, and resistance within it. She fully committed to slam poetry in 2020 and won the Speech to Binti competition in 2021—an achievement that propelled her voice onto local and national stages. An active member of Passe-moi l’Mic / Bukavu Slam Session and YALT (an organization dedicated to promoting young artists), Lina explores themes of African identity, collective memory, and the female experience and resilience in her writing.
Bondo Bondo Béni, alias MrWise Bondo, born in Kinshasa on July 7, 1997, is a Congolese writer and entrepreneur. Passionate about art and music, he is also a fashion model who collaborates with clothing brands and boutiques. His work explores themes of identity, resilience, aesthetics, and faith. He lives in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Esther Abumba is a native of Goma, born on May 15, 2002. She holds a degree in Communication for Development. She began her artistic career in 2018 by making her first appearance on a slam poetry stage.
Negredo Le Nègre Ngalula is a Congolese (DRC) slam artist and poet, born on September 20, 2000, in Kinshasa. He was a finalist in the first edition of the Kinshasa Grand Slam Competition (2019).
Joël Mahamba Djoman, whose real name is Kambale Mahamba Joël, is a poet and slam artist born on October 9, 1998, in Butembo, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. He grew up in an environment where his father’s voice and words, as he recited verses, awakened a love for poetry within him. In 2018, he encountered La Plume d’Or, a circle of poets dedicated to classical poetry and traditional verse. Trained in the art of poetic language and ethics, he refined his writing and his stage presence, transforming poetry into a genuine instrument for raising consciousness and fostering humanism.
Mangunda Mickendu Michael, better known as Ange Michael, is a poet, slam artist, and physician. He resides in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, specifically in Kinshasa.
Y.K. Mutombo is a poet and journalist based in Ottawa. His interests include, but aren’t limited to, people-watching, an affinity for oversleeping, and establishing soft deadlines.
Nganji Mutiri is a Congolese-Belgian multidisciplinary artist born in Bukavu in 1980. His first feature film, the family drama Juwaa (2022), was selected for more than 20 international festivals and won several awards, including best film and best director at the Kinshasa International Film Festival FICKIN and the SACD Belgium Cinema Award in Brussels. He is currently developing his second feature film, Station 243. In addition, he continues to work as an actor, photographer and writer. Through all his disciplines, Nganji Mutiri questions identities, memory and diasporic narratives with a deeply humanistic and subtly political approach.
Sylvie Baziga is originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Passionate about writing, artistic expression, and social initiatives, she is particularly interested in issues of peace, education, and personal transformation through culture and the spoken word.
Franck Amani Kavuke, known by his stage name, Franck Amak, is a slam poetry performer and humanitarian. In this performance, he champions authenticity—prioritizing his identity as a human being above all else. He presented the show at the Espace Francophone in Goma (DRC) and the Vuga Festival in Burundi, then returned to Goma to perform it again before embarking on an East African tour.
Jetha Makieleka is a spoken word artist and creative writer living in London. Her writing is based on the realities of the world; she uses her deep thinking to create stories and poems that are relatable and thought provoking. Her writing series “With All due Respect” captures her deepest thoughts and feelings which she transforms into poems. Through her writing she seeks to draw people closer to God.
Biko Botowamungu, born in Kinshasa, DR Congo and currently living in Vienna, Austria. After studying Jazz at the Vienna Conservatory, he started working as a musician and composer and formed his Trio Ezu. He is also a Writer and Artist in general. His poem is written in his mother tongue Lingala.
Kalombo II was born in Lubumbashi, where he currently resides. A writer, columnist, and teacher, he has published three books—two poetry collections (Divine poésie and Le fleuve est pareil à ma peine) and a collection of columns (La Danse de Ndombolo)—won the Zamenga Prize for short stories twice, and contributed to ten anthologies. He founded the Kiosque Littéraire collective in 2023.
Dimé Konde, whose real name is Dieu Merci Tsimba Konde, was born on December 19, 2000, in Kinshasa, DRC. He is a geologist by training, a slam artist, and a poet; he is the founder of the Gospel Poésie Club and Les Potes du Slam dans le Ghetto platforms, and a co-founder of the Intellect’art collective.
Sam Kaya is a poet and spoken-word artist based in Lubumbashi, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Raïs Neza Boneza is a Congolese author, poet, Lecturer and advocate practitioner working across literature, performance, and political critique. His work examines extraction, memory, diaspora, and resistance, amplifying Congolese voices while challenging global narratives around development, conflict, and belonging. Born in Lubumbashi (Katanga province) while originally from the North Kivu; he is based now in Trondheim (Norway).
Dan Ludweme, whose full name is Ludweme Kating Daniel, is a specialist in strategic communication and digital marketing, as well as a journalist and a passionate writer. Based in Kinshasa, he operates at the intersection of communication, social engagement, and creative writing. As a social media manager at a digital marketing and communication agency, he helps companies and brands build their image and disseminate their messages.
Tocci Clarins is a Congolese slam poet. He turned to slam because he struggled with public speaking; words would get stuck, and stage fright would take over completely. Slam became a refuge, and then a tool. Today, he stands before an audience to speak not only about himself but also about the things that eat away at us collectively: disillusionment, ingratitude, corruption, and wounds—both personal and societal. He writes by blending Lingala and French, because that is how he lives and feels. Tocci uses humor and sarcasm to address realities that can be heavy, without making them stifling.
N’Anza Tata, a Congolese writer and playwright, examines the fissures in reality and the fictions at play in society’s collective narratives—nation, memory, and justice. Winner of the 2022 Zamenga Prize for his short story Dernier saut and a finalist for the 2023 RFI Theatre Prize with Analogie du vertige, he is the author of the novel J’enverrai à Dieu tous les coupables (Les Lettres Mouchetées, 2025), a finalist for the 2024 PE Lumumba Prize.
Patricia Mugoli Nalubona, known as Patricia Kamoso is a Congolese poet, slam artist, and actress born in the city of Bukavu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Passionate about writing and poetry, she became an advocate for human rights—specifically women’s rights—using her writing to champion the cause of women and peace. She launched the “SLAM AU FÉMININ” program within the Bukavu Slam Session collective, debuting in 2022.
Nicolas Walay was born on October 30, 1994, in Kisangani, DRC. He is a slam poet who has been passionate about the art form since 2010 and professionally active in the slam scene since 2022; he is known by the moniker “From everywhere, living nowhere.” Within “Kis-Slam”—an organization bringing together slam poets from Kisangani, DRC, where he serves as Public Relations Officer—he was the driving force behind the “Slam Around the Fire” event at the main campus in 2023. He also initiated a second show at the same venue on January 30, 2026, titled “The Heroes (Les Héros)”; this production featured a cast of six, and he served as a co-author.
Bukondo Wa Hangi is an artist—writer, poet, and slam performer—and researcher from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Based in Goma, he is active in writing, the slam poetry scene, and research, while also engaged in humanitarian work supporting vulnerable populations devastated by war in the eastern DRC. He is the author of two books: Traité de la civilisation des Bahunde: Essai sur l’ethnographie des peuples d’Afrique des Grands Lacs (Treatise on Bahunde Civilization: An Essay on the Ethnography of the Great Lakes Peoples), Goma National Museum, Goma, 2023; and La fuite de Dieu (God’s Flight), Éditions Colline inspirée, Kinshasa, 2025.
Jeanpaul BONYAM’S born Jean-Paul Bonyambala Mbutu on July 9, 2003, in the city of Kisangani (Tshopo Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo), he is a young writer, poet, and slam artist. He is a member of the Kisangani-based slam collective KISANGANI SLAM (KIS SLAM), where he currently serves as Communications Officer. He is the author of the poetry collection Les Dernières Volontés (The Last Wishes) and several other as-yet-unpublished literary works. Best known as a slam artist, Jeanpaul BONYAM’S was the runner-up in the second edition of the “UNIKIS Talent” competition organized by the University of Kisangani and also competed in the major Elongo Festival. Having participated in numerous writing and slam workshops, he is a prominent figure in the Kisangani slam scene.
Paul Kirongozi was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo—specifically in the city of Kisangani, in Tshopo Province. Hailing from a region defined by its history and cultural richness, he grew up with a deep attachment to his roots and his Congolese identity. Alongside his academic pursuits, Paul Kirongozi is a poet who writes freely. Through his work, he expresses his thoughts, emotions, and worldview. His writing—sensitive yet socially conscious—reflects his commitment to truth, justice, and human dignity.
Loft Lofeta, whose full name is Loft-Mardochée Lofeta Litanda or Mardochée-Loft Lofeta Litanda—is a poet, slam artist, storyteller, novelist, journalist, and radio host. Born in Kisangani on June 11, 1999, he has—since rising to prominence in the poetry world—delivered numerous performances and slam sets for major local cultural organizations, festivals, and large-scale cultural events (such as the Ngoma International Festival and the Rire d’Espoir Festival).
Ephraim Kihondo, the first born of first generation immigrants from the DRC in the 90s, Ephraim Kihondo (b. 1995, London), is a revolutionary poetic storyteller. Poetry was his first encounter with art. Art has long been about resistance to him, and it (as well as painting and short film), is how he plots rebellion. A rebellion against groupthink, power and societal structures rooted in fear and division. With his practice “Love Politics,” Kihondo explores love as a radical resistance and cure to systems of harm through provocative critique of societal norms. His intention? To help imagine a revolution born from the realisation that we are all in need of a world that centres intention, inclusivity, and love.
Jenny Munyongamayi is a Congolese slam artist, writer, and cultural organizer, born on July 1, 2003, in Lubumbashi. She began performing slam poetry in 2020 and has since developed her craft within the We’art Slam collective. In 2024, she published her first book, Eminent Parcours ou Mon Moi dans Ton Toi, and co-authored a poetry collection with the La Main Royale collective.
Becky Angoofaoto Esobe is a slam poet from Boyoma. She is also a student in the Faculty of Letters at the University of Kisangani, majoring in Languages and Business. She was born on October 1, 2004, in the capital city of Kinshasa. Passionate about the arts, she is active within the Tacems group—specifically the Collectif des Artistes Boyomais (CAB)—and more precisely in the Kis-Slam unit, where she serves as artistic director.
Blaise Kazmas is an artist and slam poet born in Lubumbashi, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He resides in Lubumbashi, in the Haut-Katanga province. He has been writing since a young age and has dedicated himself to the art of spoken word since 2017. His artistic journey is defined by a socially conscious voice, deeply rooted in the realities of his environment. Through slam, poetry, and occasionally rap, he strives to give voice to the forgotten and to question the mechanisms of injustice. His style blends intensity, reflection, and emotion, with a particular focus on rhythm and the power of the spoken word. Active on various local stages, he views every performance as an act of transmission and transformation.
Viteghe Volonte Mapson (Mapson in short) was born on April 12, 1991. He discovered poetry and singing at the early age of seven. By eleven, he was already crafting stories that he recorded in a personal notebook, becoming a precocious writing talent. Between the ages of twelve and eighteen, he explored various literary genres, including poetry, storytelling, the novel, and even theater.
Linda Maroy is a poet, author, and performance artist originally from Bukavu. Her work explores themes of human rights, youth empowerment, and social change. She currently resides in Bordeaux, France.
Kingdan Sadiki Jalil is an author, slam poet, and socially conscious artist from the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Through his writing, he explores social realities, the scars of war, and the hope for a better future for his people. A member of the Goma Slam Session collective, he blends poetry, slam, and storytelling to give voice to the often-forgotten stories of his homeland. His work is distinguished by its sincerity, emotional power, and commitment to peace and justice.
Yollande Yowa Ngoy, known by the stage name Orakle Ngoy, is a multidisciplinary artist, musician, and poet from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. At the intersection of socially conscious rap, African oral poetry, and embodied stage performance, Orakle creates a powerful body of work in which the voice becomes a political act. Her work addresses gender-based violence, the colonial legacy, and the role of women in the public sphere. As the founder of the Yambi City Feminist Festival in Kinshasa and the Afrika Diva collective, Orakle drives an artistic project that is radical, contemporary, and deeply rooted in African oral traditions.
MLD Slamareine Mutula Lydia Diallo, known by the stage name MLD Slamareine, is a Congolese slam artist and filmmaker based in Lubumbashi (DRC). Her artistic journey began during her middle school years, when she first explored poetry writing within a cultural landscape largely dominated by men. In 2020, she discovered slam poetry and helped structure the discipline in the region by co-founding the first slam collective in Uvira. Since then, she has used performance poetry as a medium for personal expression and a vehicle for social engagement. Her project, “Cœur qui parle” (Speaking Heart), aims to encourage young people—particularly girls—to speak out, assert their voices, and transform society through writing. Today, MLD Slamareine coordinates the “Pouvoir Slam Lubumbashi” collective, where she supports and mentors the next generation of artists while continuing her socially conscious work that blends poetry, social storytelling, and cultural activism.
Chanelle Ndonga was born in Kinshasa, and raised in Kisangani, Congo. She is a slam poet, spoken-word performer, and current vice-coordinator of the Kis-slam organization.
Elvis Ntambua Mampuele, a native of the Congo (Kinshasa), is an author. A graduate in Information and Communication from Lumière Lyon 2 University, he also co-organizes the “Au son de la Rumba” event, supporting the joint bid by the two Congos to have rumba inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. With his debut novel Makila (published by La Croisée des Chemins in 2024), Elvis entered the literary world tackling a subject that is as sensitive as it is urgent: child soldiers and the war in the eastern Congo. has garnered critical acclaim. It earned him the 2025 Senghor Public Prize for a Francophone and Francophile debut novel. The book was also selected for the 2024 Grand Prix du Roman Métis and the 2024 Readers’ Prize for the Roman Métis. Furthermore, Elvis Ntambua created the first “book box” in Kinshasa—located in the Lingwala commune—to provide free, easy access to books for those who lack them.
Jonathan Lepira Bompeka is an author based in Juvisy-sur-Orge, France. He is a voice deeply attached to the Congo, its history, and its identity. Through his writings, he expresses the love, memory, and hope of a people marked by hardship yet looking toward the future. His poetry blends contemplation, commitment, and faith in the rebirth of a nation destined to reclaim its light and dignity.
Mérou Mégaphone, whose full name is Mushagalus Namegabe Herve-Merou, is a Congolese cultural entrepreneur, public speaking coach, and slam poet from Bukavu. He is also active in Goma, in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, in the Great Lakes region and the East African Community. He co-founded the Passe-moi L’mike collective, which has become an association called BUKAVU SLAM-SESSION, positioning itself as the voice for the voiceless; He is committed to telling the story of his African identity and daily life in the East, using the oratorical arts, particularly slam poetry, to advocate for peace and peaceful coexistence in the Great Lakes region, an area marked by conflict for over 30 years. He writes mainly in French, Swahili, Lingala and English, but may incorporate local expressions depending on the project.
Doryphore Mearl is a multidisciplinary Congolese artist based in Lubumbashi whose work explores the intersections of spoken word (slam), performance, and cultural action. Winner of the Best Short Film Award at the Francophone Film Festival in the DRC (2025) for Electro KANZUJI, he is also the creator of acclaimed productions such as Leçon slamée and Bloc oratoire. As the founder and artistic director of the “Cas Tout Bas Rimes” platform, he has trained over 60 young people in Lubumbashi and Likasi, fostering the emergence of a new generation of slam poets. An experienced programmer, trainer, and curator, he notably served as artistic director for the Slam Femina Festival (2025) and devised the collaborative shows Trilogie verbale and Identité fracturée. His approach—combining artistic excellence with deep local roots—has earned him the trust of institutions such as the Institut Français, Wallonie-Bruxelles, and the Biasasa Art Center.
Do Nsoseme Dora is a Congolese poet, slam artist, and photographer born in Kinshasa in 1994. Holding a Master’s degree in Media Management from the École Supérieure de Journalisme de Lille and a diploma in Graphic Arts (Visual Communication) from the Academy of Fine Arts in Kinshasa, she develops an artistic practice at the intersection of the poetic word and the image. Her first poetry collection, Ngambo Ya Congo, published in 2025 by Éditions MesDames, is part of this artistic approach: a socially engaged body of work that interrogates the history, contradictions, and hopes of contemporary Congo. Through spoken word, photography, and performance, Do Nsoseme tells the story of her country and the social realities defining her era.
Godness Mosala Mg was born in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo, on September 29, Godness Mosala Mgl is a law student, bibliophile, poet, writer-philosopher, and philologist. Passionate about poetry, slam, and spiritual meditation, he devotes a significant part of his life to poetic writing and intellectual reflection. His works include the collections La discipline, un atout pour la réussite (2012) and Oraisons saintes (2015), which reflect his commitment to wisdom, faith, and the beauty of the written word.
JMZ “Julia Zulu” was born in Kinshasa Congo, and grew up in France. She has a master degree in international business. But more than the degree, what is more worth it for her is the fact that she traveled and lived in multiple countries such as the USA, England, Panama, Mexico, Dominican Republic, etc. Currently living in Portugal. Since her childhood, she always liked stories, telling stories, hearing stories…. Until she started writing mines, in forms of poems and music. Her inspiration comes from her experiences, the environment around her: people, places, how she feels about certain things. Her writings are mostly about emotions.
Gedeon Mbau is a writer and art student living in Vienna, Austria. As a second-generation immigrant from the DRC, it has always been important to him to pay homage to his heritage, his upbringing and the rich & complex history of Congolese people.
Depaul Bakulu is a spoken-word artist, a human rights activist with the LUCHA (Struggle for Change) citizen movement, and a social advocate involved in various social, civic, and cultural initiatives. Originally from Goma in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he uses his writing to turn poetry into a tool for raising awareness, fostering resistance, and promoting collective healing. He is an active member of the LUCHA citizen movement, a volunteer and member of the strategic committee for the Amani Festival, and a co-founder of the Goma Slam Session collective and Mlimani Publishing. He also serves as the Arts and Culture Officer at the Uhuru Knowledge Center and as Educational Director for the Goma Actif collective.
The Partners
Friends of the Congo (FOTC) is an advocacy organization based in Washington, DC, founded in 2004 to promote peaceful and lasting change in the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire).
Mlimani is a publishing initiative in Goma. It partners with international publishers and authors to secure distribution rights for the DRC. Mlimani promotes reading through school and community clubs, supports theatre and slam poetry adaptations, and runs a radio channel featuring book excerpts by leading African writers and thinkers.
La Synergie des Femmes pour les Victimes des Violences Sexuelles is a network based in North Kivu Province in eastern DRC. Established in February 2002, it brings together 35 predominantly women-led organizations to support women and girls who have experienced sexual violence, social exclusion, and trauma through coordinated resources, expertise, and community action.
For more information or how to support Ekosimba, contact the organizers: congoleseanthology@gmail.com.