I've raised £650 to help the current and former child cobalt miners of Kolwezi, DRC and fund social support activities, such as football, and education.
Organised by Kit Out Kolwezi
Story
UNICEF estimates that 40,000 children in the Democratic Republic of Congo are working in extremely dangerous artisanal mines. The children earn as little as 10,000 Congolese Francs a week.
That's the equivalent of £3.79 a week, or 54p a day.
I was working under dangerous and unhealthy conditions, exposed to fatal injuries or illnesses. You know, I saw two children die from lung infections. Most children in the mines are really dirty; very few are clean." - Nadège, 16.
Often, the children have no choice but to work in the mines to support their families and their are few opportunities to earn essential money elsewhere. Blood, Sweat and Batteries is a short documentary that goes some way in showing the situation in the DRC.
A day in the mines is like a day in a war; you are like a soldier. When you work in the mines, you have trouble sleeping; you wake up in the early morning and finish late at night. You work without rest; you are not at school. A day in the mines is a moment of suffering, where you are not respected." - Judith, 16.
However, charities such as Buon Pastore offer refuge for children who want to get out of the mines. The charity organises social activities, such as football matches and retreats, to strengthen the communities and give the children a safe place to relax, have fun, and be children.
I am asking for donations of old football shirts to be used in the community football matches, and any money raised will be sent to a community representative of Buon Pastore, who will use the finances to buy essential items such as clothing and books, and to organise social support activities and retreats for the former child miners.
