Corporations exploit Congolese who make their products

Right now there are 40,000 children enslaved in Congo being forced to mine cobalt for big companies like Apple, Tesla, etc. These kids are starved, dehydrated, overworked (16 hour shifts a day), overcrowded in their work environment to the point where they legitimately crush each other and not paid or if they are, it’s a maximum of 6 cents an hour. They are forced to excavate ditches, work in rivers, turn out and sort the metal and haul heavy materials. Just because some completely able bodied rich dudes don’t want to do it themselves and in addition they get free labor out of nonresistant, scared and poor children with no other option.

This is truly disgusting and I have no idea how anybody could tolerate this kind of treatment or ignore it just because It’s not happening in their country, to their kids or to them. Everybody says that they can’t do anything about it, but revolutions have started for much less than this, and the people made effective change then, so why is it so impossible now?

But people keep buying their iPhones and worshiping the billionaires, millionaires and celebrities who all have the funds, time, resources and money instead of doing something, anything, even just spreading the word, but they don’t because it depresses people, and it’s “not their problem,” but as a human being, it’s all of our social and moral responsibility to help, especially when there is no obligation because that’s the true essence of being a good person. If this was happening to Americans or celebrities, there would be a massive public uproar, but just because it’s out of sight makes it OK? That is completely repulsive. 

Along with the slave labor they are being forced into, Congolese workers are getting their homes raided and destroyed. Actually the DRC has had the world’s highest levels of sexual violence against children committed by armed forces and other groups. There are nearly 7 million people displaced in Congo right now due to gender based violence, famine and widespread violations of human rights. They need medical care, security, support, food and general humanitarian aid, but nobody really truly cares or something would have been done ages ago.

I mean you’re probably reading this right now and thinking to yourself “This sucks, but there’s nothing I can say or do about it, so I’m just going to forget because It’s not my problem,” and I can understand that to a certain extent, but I know that if I was there I would want help or at least have people know and care that people (children who are defenseless and undeserving of this cruel and inhuman treatment at the hands of strangers with guns and a need to hurt other people for their own benefit) are getting seriously hurt and abused for literally no reason.

So what can we do about this?

We could do a fundraiser of some form and donate to the save the children foundation dedicated to the kids in Congo or even UNICEF. Either way, we should raise money and give it to people who need it.