“No Congo, No Phone”: The Children Who Heal Through Art in the Midst of War
- Fred Chavis
- Feb 12
- 4 min read
By Fred Chavis
There is a war happening in the Congo that the world refuses to see. A war that has stolen futures, erased dreams, and turned children into soldiers before they ever had a chance to be kids. A war that fuels the West’s endless hunger for technology, while the very people whose land holds the world’s minerals die in silence.
Yet, in the midst of chaos, there is resistance. There is art. There is healing.
At the heart of this struggle is Invisible Kids Academy, a revolutionary movement in Goma using the power of Afro-traditional dance, beatboxing, and music to keep hope alive. Founded by Bush Sebar, a Congolese artist, the academy is more than a school—it’s a sanctuary for orphans and children who, in a country ravaged by war and corruption, have nowhere else to turn.
“We heal through art,” Bush tells me.
This is not just an abstract philosophy. It’s survival. It’s a declaration of existence in a world that often acts as if the Congo and its people do not matter.
A War for Resources, A War on the People
To understand the struggle of Invisible Kids Academy, you must first understand the war in the Congo—a war not just waged with bullets and bombs but through systemic plunder. A genocide is waging in the Congo and has been for decades. The world’s demand for iPhones, electric cars, and laptops has fueled violence in the region for decades. The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is home to 70% of the world’s cobalt, a mineral essential to modern technology. Yet, while corporations like Apple, Tesla, and Samsung profit, Congolese children are sent to the mines, forced to dig for the very resources that make our world run.
“There are no schools, no banks, no gyms,” Bush says. “People are dying; kids are going to the forest to be soldiers. No one understands what is going on in the Congo.”
The suffering in Goma mirrors the experiences of Black communities worldwide—disenfranchised, exploited, and under siege by systems that profit off their oppression. Whether it’s the mineral wealth of the Congo or the prison-industrial complex in the U.S., Black lives are seen as disposable, mere fuel for the machinery of capitalism.
But Invisible Kids Academy refuses to let these children be erased.
Music as Resistance: “No Congo, No Phone”
One of their most powerful moments came when they released “No Congo, No Phone”, a viral song reaching audiences across Africa and beyond. The title was simple yet revolutionary: Without the Congo, the modern world wouldn’t function. The message is filled with great pain and courage. The call of action is to end the war, unite the world, and bring peace to the Congo.
“Our kids used art to make their voices heard,” Bush recalls. “Even BBC Africa shared it. People donated and supported us.”
But success is dangerous when the truth threatens power. Shortly after the song gained international traction, the war intensified.
“After the song, the bombs dropped,” he says. “We had to put all the kids inside. It was crazy… people were dying outside of our home. It was traumatic. It feels like the future is gone.”
A Shared Struggle: The War on Black Communities
The trauma of Goma is not just a Congolese struggle, it is part of the global Black experience. In America, where the war on Black life manifests through mass incarceration, police violence, and systemic poverty, the parallels are impossible to ignore. Just as the DRC’s wealth is stolen while its people suffer, Black communities in the U.S. generate billions for industries that exploit them—private prisons, gentrification, and predatory lending.
The fight for Congo’s liberation is the fight for Black liberation everywhere.
How the World Can Support
When asked what people outside of the Congo can do, Bush is clear:
“Talk about our work. Talk about the Congo. Share our message. Connect with us. We need global connections.”
This is a call to action.
• Amplify their voices: Follow, share, and support Invisible Kids Academy’s content.
• Educate yourself and others: The war in Congo is rarely covered in mainstream Western media. Seek out independent sources and share the truth.
• Donate: Funds help keep the academy running, providing food, shelter, and artistic resources for children who have lost everything.
• Pressure corporations and governments: Demand ethical supply chains that do not rely on child labor and war profiteering.
The Congo does not need charity. It needs solidarity.
Conclusion: A Future Built on Resistance
Even in the darkest moments, Bush and his students refuse to give up. They dance, they sing, and they create, not just as an escape but as an act of defiance.
“If the Congolese people understood they are a rich, talented country… things would be better. Why are not rich just because of minerals, we are rich because of the people here in the Congo,” he says.
The future of the Congo, like the future of all oppressed people, will not be handed down by those in power. It will be built by those who resist. By those who refuse to be invisible.
And the children of Invisible Kids Academy are making sure the world sees them.
This story is original reporting by Fred Chavis and was first published on The Liberation Movement. For publication rights, syndication, or collaboration, please contact liberation@fredchavis.com. Unauthorized use or reproduction without permission is prohibited.