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…