Diana Buckhantz, JWW Board Member, is traveling with four other JWW delegates in Congo’s eastern provinces. They will work with survivors of the country’s decades-long conflict, which has claimed nearly six millions lives. They will meet with JWW’s partners on the ground, with whom JWW works to create innovative programs and projects that change lives…
There are days that fill you with hope — with a hope that the world will one day wake up and become accountable for all the violence and hate. A day in which inspiration reigns and true heroes show themselves. Today was one such day for me in Congo. We spent a very long…
It’s not every day that you get to meet a real, living, breathing hero. On this trip, it seems that heroes are everywhere. Whereas one might feel overwhelmed and consumed with sadness when considering the enormity of the struggles of the Congolese people, I find myself not only optimistic, but even more deeply inspired than…
Resilience has taken on new meaning in Congo. In the U.S., we use the word resilience to describe someone who has made something of their life after a hard childhood, or managed to recover after a deep personal loss, or has endured a difficult situation. All of these scenarios can be painful and deeply troubling,…
Surprisingly, this has been a journey filled with hope and inspiration. I had expected to feel more despair here, surrounded as we are by one of the most devastating humanitarian crises in the world. This week we spoke with Dr. Namagabe, who works to demobilize and rehabilitate former child soldiers as the director of…
“Sexual violence.” We hear these two words over and over in Congo. They have become a part of the vernacular — and in many ways are a symptom of a highly traumatized society. In every meeting, sexual violence is mentioned and everywhere we go, we meet girls, women and children who have survived rape and…
Here in Congo, so many of our discussions have been about the sexual violence affecting women. We have heard heartbreaking stories of horrific violence and trauma that give us a new appreciation for human cruelty. And we have met so many people that give us hope — who demonstrate unimaginable resilience despite unbelievable trauma. Just…
Throughout the world, there seems to be an epidemic rise of antisemitism. How extraordinary that in the rural villages of Congo, we are experiencing a totally different response. Tamara, the Chief of Party for International Medical Corps in Congo, told us that in the remote area around our Chambucha Rape and Crisis Center, more than…
We started our day with Dr. Mukwege at Panzi Hospital. Dr. Mukwege is an angel on earth, and a hero to thousands of women here in Congo whom he has helped with life-saving fistula repair surgery. He is one of JWW’s most treasured partners on the ground, and JWW is currently helping to fund the…
For the last several years, we at Jewish World Watch have been educating about and advocating to change the situation in Eastern Congo — a situation that is largely the result of conflict over ownership of the mineral mines. Today, I had the amazing opportunity to visit the Kalimbi Tin Mine, crawl up into it…