by Siddharth Kara, 2023
Adam suggested this book. It’s about mining for cobalt in the Congo. It is unbelievably heart-breaking. The injustice, the oppression, the evil that is taking place is so awful. I had no idea. China and the major companies that use lithium-ion batteries, of which cobalt is one of the major ingredients, must stop this and re-build, renew, save these poor people. They work all day in the most brutal, horrible conditions, in order to earn a measly $1/day. They work in tunnels and when the tunnels collapse, they are buried alive. No one hears about it because no one can even check things out; armed men patrol all of the mines and the depots where cobalt is sold. Up until the election of Felix Tshisekedi in 2019, all of the African leaders after independence from King Leopold II of Belgium, were just as evil and exploited the people for their own gain. These were Mobutu Sese Seko (1965-1997), Laurent-Desire Kabila (1997-2001), Joseph Kabila (Laurent’s son) (2001-2019). It is hopeful that Felix Tshisekedi is working to better the conditions for his poor exploited people.
Young mothers with infants strapped to their backs work the mines all day, for less than a dollar a day. They and their babies breathe in the toxic dust. Young girls and boys also work in the mines because their families can no longer afford the $6 a month to pay for their educations. This is after the mining companies force the families to move out of their villages, then cut down all the trees, and then build huge open-pit mines.
It is an outrage. Praying to God for His justice to roll down like waters, His righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. God please save these poor people, these poor oppressed people.
The companies like Tesla, Apple, Samsung, Daimler all have statements that say they do not use cobalt mined by children, but what this book shows (because this author took the time to go investigate at risk of his own life), there is no way you can say that you are using cobalt that was not mined by children. All of the cobalt gets into the bottom of the supply chain and is mixed together. And, this mining by children and adults, which is called artisanal mining is everywhere in the Congo. Thousands upon thousands of Congolese working in the most hellish conditions from dawn to dusk, for the tiniest bit of money. The mining kills them. This must stop! China and the rich companies need to give these people schools and free education for all of the children, hospitals and clinics, clean water, electricity, sewers, parks, trees, gardens, clean up their water and their air, give the miners safety equipment, reinforce the tunnels, pump in air so they can breathe, on and on and on. It is an absolute outrage that this is happening! God, please make it stop! Help these poor, poor people, especially the children!
From World Vision’s website – 10 worst countries to be a child:
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
In the eastern DRC, spikes in violence are a continual threat, especially against children. The United Nations reports that children are being recruited and armed, which is a grave violation of international law. In South Kivu, thousands have been displaced, and millions of children face increased risks of exploitation, trauma, hunger, and disease outbreaks. The ongoing challenges include:
- Over 15 million children live in instability.
- A deadly cholera epidemic has spread across six provinces, with more than 18,000 cases and 364 deaths reported since January 2025.
- Flooding and unsafe water increase the threat of illness
- In mining provinces like Lualaba and Haut-Katanga, child labor is widespread. Tens of thousands of children work in cobalt and copper extraction.
In towns like Kakanda, children as young as 6 work to support their families by selling food on the streets, carrying water, or caring for younger siblings. Children like the young girl shown above dig through toxic rubble with their bare hands, hoping to earn enough for a meal. Without safety gear, they risk injury, illness, or even death. Eleven-year-old Chantal* (not pictured) began working in the mines at age 9 after her father died. “I haven’t been to school in three months,” says Chantal*, who cooks and cleans for her family instead of attending class. “Sometimes I was so tired I’d fall asleep on the ground, right among the rocks,” she says.
Though Congolese law prohibits underage labor in mining, extreme poverty forces many families to rely on income from their children. Most earn less than $2 a day.
*Names changed to protect identity