Gratitude Gala 2012

How often do you say ‘thank you’ in a day? A month? A year? It’s a word that Serge Kaptegaine believes should be heard more often, and it’s a word he’d like to repeat at the Canadian Centre for Refugee Employment’s (CCRE) Gratitude Gala on Sept. 20, 2012. Kaptegaine, director of the CCRE, is taking this opportunity to recognize the mentors, employers and organizations that have aided his organization in its mission to ease newcomers into Manitoba — a province that offered him peace when he emigrated from unspeakable circumstances in war-torn DR Congo in 2005. “To see the faces of real people devoting themselves to help others to achieve greatness, it makes me believe that the human race can live together in harmony,” says Kaptegaine. By raising awareness and creating a platform for refugees to gain the skills and knowledge necessary for employment, the CCRE has created opportunities Read more

Falling Whistles: Democratic Republic of Congo Exposed

Rich orange flames dance across a striking African savannah in the continent’s heart. Serge Kaptegaine is trapped inside a burning house. The doors are locked, windows bolted shut. The only thing he’s certain of is that there is no escape. His fate lies miles away in the hands of the Western world, but no one can hear his cries. He clings to his only hope that someone, somewhere, is calling 911. “This is a small picture or idea that I can give you about the war,” says Kaptegaine of his psychological experience in the resource-rich, conflict-ravished Democratic Republic of Congo. “When I’m talking about fire, I’m talking about realities where you are tortured. I am talking about realities where for days you don’t even think about war, you don’t think about food. The only thing on your mind is ‘how am I going to be tomorrow or the next five minutes?’” Murder, rape and young children being used as human shields are ongoing impunities of a crisis that’s been deemed Africa’s World War. Read more