Giving Thanks....

In the spirit of Thanksgiving… Here are the Top 10 things we our giving thanks for in DRC:

1.Care packages and cards from home (from the world’s best friends and family…thank you Mamma Miller and Mamma Cato for our most recent packages!)

2. Congolese turkeys (the biggest meat we have ever seen in the Congo)

3. Peaceful and fair elections in DRC (hoping)…

Okay yes, the odds are against us on this one, but it does not stop us from hoping. This upcoming Monday, November 28th Congo will hold its second democratic election since the end in 2002 of the war (one of Africa’s longest wars) that left over 5 million people dead. The UDPS is leading opposition group with as the candidate for the presidency, Etienne Tshisekedi (who recently stirred controversy declaring himself the new president of Congo and asking people to break into the prisons and set free his supporters who have been jailed) against the current president/ ruling party of Joseph Kabila. Numerous human rights violations have happened during this election time here…including some levels violence (stone throwings, kidnappings and shootings), intimidation, arrests and deaths during campaigning while some opposition radio stations have been shut down and opposition gatherings banned in parts of the country. Even the current president booked up all the seats onboard National Congolese flights so none of the opposition parties could use the flights. Not to mention the head of the electoral commission is a friend of the current president. Also, it is a logistical nightmare trying to get the ballots out in this vast land populated by 72 million people and the size of adistance between London and Moscow with hardly any road infrastructure. Delays for this upcoming election seem likely. Don’t worry we do have an good evacuation plan in place ;)

4. Clean water and African food

5. Gorillas (and other nifty creatures of the Congo)!!!

Silverback gorillas (lowland)

6. Bukavu- Our hometown...Africa’s most beautiful up and coming town- Our 'little Switzerland'

7. Friendships abroad

At our favorite restaurant in Bukavu (Orchid)

8. Generosity of the Congolese people

An amazing community near Baraka, DRC doing a Gender training

9. Committed Expats that have been here for 25 years carrying on conservation works in the National Parks. The Kahuzi Biega National Park is now an endangered UNESCO World Heritage site thanks to their work with the government and Pygmies(who are the locals of the area that use to poach the gorillas before they were protected but now our their greatest protectors and guides to the park).

10. Stunning Geography-The world’s mysterious and least studied volcanoes (The recent eruption that started a few weeks ago... impact-no one was injured in our project sites or communities close to the Nyamuragira volcano in Virunga National Park) Click here for visual