5 Reasons You Should Care About DR Congo
What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the Democratic Republic of Congo? For some, it might be extreme poverty or disease. For others, it may be the violence-stricken turmoil in the east. While these are all, unfortunately, accurate depictions of DRC, we feel that it’s time that people learn a little bit more about the country we love so dearly. Without further ado, here are 5 reasons you should care about DR Congo:
Congo Basin
DRC is home to one of the most important wilderness areas left on earth, the Congo Basin. Expanding at 500 million acres, it ranks as the second-largest tropical rain forest in the world. Rain forests are vital to all of us. They produce oxygen, help clean the earth’s atmosphere, and play an essential role in climate regulation. This particular rain forest is also vital for the many diverse species of animals, plants, and humans that call it home. Over 75 million people rely on the forests of the Congo Basin for shelter, food, and water. For all animal lovers reading, it also inhabits a large number of endangered species, including one-half of the remaining elephants on earth. Without the Congo Basin, these animals would have nowhere else to go.
Government Improvements
Let’s run through a quick history lesson on the government in DR Congo. Since gaining its independence from Belgium in 1960, DRC has had a slew of corrupt presidents and presidential elections. Two years ago, it was no different, with most people apprehensive to believe that new president, Félix Tshisekedi won the election fairly. However, this finally ended the 18-year presidency of Joseph Kabila, a leader that the majority of the Congolese people wanted out of power. The fact that things seem to be on an upswing following a peaceful transition of power gives us hope that the country’s long-standing run of corruption will finally begin to change.
Natural Resources
In theory, Congo should be one of the world’s wealthiest countries due to its abundance of natural resources like copper, gold, diamonds, uranium, coltan, and oil, to name a few. In fact, 80% of the earth’s coltan (the mineral that’s used in all of our coveted electronics) lies within DRC’s soil. Why does Congo remain one of the world’s poorest countries if it’s so plentiful in economic resources? This can be credited to the previously mentioned corruption that is so prevalent in the country. It was estimated in 2017 that DRC lost $750 million in mining revenue to bribery. This is an astronomical number that keeps the Congolese, (who are actually doing the work), from benefiting from the wealth.
Beauty
This is an easy one. It’s a downright beautiful country. These photos speak for themselves.
Pictured above from left to right: Congo Basin from storymaps.arcgis.com; Congo Fields from WorldKings.com; Elephants in Virunga National Park from Britannica.com; Virunga National Park from TheSun.com
Orphan Crisis
The Orphan Crisis in the country is a dire situation that you’ve heard us talk about for years. It is estimated that over 4 million orphaned children are living in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This astounding number can be attributed to many factors; the country has been in a state of conflict for many years, leaving the Congolese people displaced, living in poverty, sick with no access to treatment, and hungry. All too often, this causes many parents to make the decision of abandoning their children on the streets.
Children in an orphanage in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
This leaves at least 4 million children vulnerable to being recruited as child soldiers, a life of living on the streets, or a childhood in an orphanage that is overpopulated, understaffed, and lacking essential resources like sanitation, water, and food. This is why we work in DR Congo. This is why Bolingo Village is so important. Every child deserves proper nutrition, access to healthcare, educational opportunities, and a place to call home.