Profits at the expense of children

Donji Thijka stands up to the waist in a shimmering yellowish lake. The slender boy washes sand and stones with a sieve. He sorts out the copper-containing chunks. His otherwise dark skin on his arms and hands is almost white, scaly, inflamed in several places.

"I’ve been working here at the copper mine for a year. About five hours a day. The work is hard, especially my back hurts. But it’s the only way to make some money. I need it to go back to school. My parents can’t afford that."

He is 17 years old, says Donji. He works just like 14. There is no minimum age in these so-called artisanal, completely uncontrolled mines. They have often arisen around disused mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. People dig here on their own. According to cautious estimates, there are also 150,000 children nationwide. They mine copper and cobalt, gold and diamonds, coltan and uranium – to name just the most desirable raw materials. Whole families toil in the rugged crater landscape around the lake. Small children play in the dirt, mothers breastfeed their babies, those who are old enough help out. Young people abseil into unsecured shafts, on bicycles they carry bags of sand and stones down the steep slope to the lake. Here Donji is already waiting for the next load.

"It’s not much after this Washing remains. Everyone takes their share home. When we have enough together, we sell the copper to a dealer in the city."

The money is just enough to survive. Despite the hard work, most families are extremely poor. You are dependent on the fact that Children for Make a living, says Alphonse Banza. He works for the non-governmental organization "Groupe One", who campaigns against increasing child labor.

"The traders benefit from the fact that these people are not organized and are completely destitute. You have no chance to negotiate. The middleman simply determines how much he pays. He knows the market prices and has the contacts to resell the raw materials profitably. And specifically also to foreign companies. You and the traders make huge profits at the expense of the workers."

International mining companies therefore benefit indirectly from child labor. It is actually forbidden, even in the Congo. Aid organizations have been denouncing this for some time. There is a lack of implementation of the law. Therese Kapibwe herself has to admit that. Minister of Mining and Family Affairs in Katanga, the country’s most resource-rich province.

"Mining companies must abide by labor law and therefore must not employ minors. Otherwise, there are penalties or even the closure of the factories. However, child labor is primarily a problem with artisanal mines and they are difficult to control. Families work there who have no money to feed their children. Mining is their only source of income. Our government is trying to improve living conditions, but there are a number of problems that we have not yet solved."

Donji Thijka ends his working day just an hour’s drive from the minister’s office. His wet pants stuck to his legs as he tiredly made his way home.

"I don’t know how long I have to work here in the copper mine. Maybe a few more years. Until I saved enough money to go back to school go to be able to. My dream is to graduate and become a teacher at some point."

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Christina Cherry
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