60% of Congo’s inhabitants live on less than $ 1.25 per day. There is another group of people who are extremely rich and live in luxury enclaves guarded by the police. Many of them benefit from the extraction of 2 minerals, which are essential for smartphones, electric cars and other electronics. These are cobalt and coltan. Coltan, a globally coveted mineral, is used in cell phones and other devices.
Rough child labor
Mining is extremely dangerous. Workers enter unlit mines, which can collapse at any time. There is very little oxygen and space to move. The ore is brought to the surface, where it is cleaned. The DRC is rich in raw materials, but only a few profit from its natural resources. The mining bosses claim that working in the mines is safe and that children do not work here. It’s a lie. This is an extremely dangerous job, for which entire armies of children are used. There are no safety measures or protective equipment.
Super rich vs extremely poor
Many millionaires live in the Democratic Republic of Congo, one of the world’s poorest countries. While businessmen, artists, former rebel leaders and evangelists are reaping the rewards of economic growth. In the capital, Kinshasa, these new rich live in safe and luxurious enclaves, while children toil in coltan mines in the eastern part of the country. watch below the DW Documentary video, which demonstrates the gap between rich and poor in this country.
