Courage in Congo: A Mother's Journey from Tragedy to Mining

Maman Soki, a 49-year-old widow, escaped a deadly attack orchestrated by Islamic State-aligned rebels in her village. Now, she finds herself working in the Pangoyi gold mine in Congo, part of a small, resilient group of Congolese women undertaking arduous mining tasks to survive.

Living in a male-dominated industry, Soki, alongside two other women, hauls 30 kg sacks of debris for minimal wages. Discriminatory barriers prevent them from participating more actively in the mining process, forcing them into lower-paying and grueling roles. Yet, she perseveres to support the four children under her care.

Despite financial constraints and security fears, Soki remains hopeful of one day leaving the mining sector. Her aspiration is to save enough money to open a small food store to better support her family. This hope persists amid ongoing threats from rebel attacks in the region, highlighting the precarious balance of Soki's daily existence.

(With inputs from agencies.)