ديجيتال فابلت

الوسم: child labor

  • Dozens Dead in DR Congo Bridge Collapse During Cobalt Mine Rush

    Dozens Dead in DR Congo Bridge Collapse During Cobalt Mine Rush

    A makeshift bridge at a cobalt mine in southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo collapsed on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of at least 32 illegal miners. Roy Kaumba Mayonde, the province’s interior minister, reported the incident and shared that rescue teams have recovered 32 bodies and are continuing efforts to find survivors. The mine, located in Lualaba province, is a key site in Congo, which produces over 70% of the world’s cobalt—an essential component in batteries for electric vehicles, laptops, and smartphones.

    An estimated 200,000 people work in large illegal cobalt operations across the country. Authorities identified the collapse occurred at the Kalando mine, roughly 26 miles southeast of Kolwezi, the provincial capital. Despite a formal prohibition on entering the site due to heavy rains and the threat of landslides, unregistered miners forced their way into the area. The collapse was caused by the rush of miners crossing a hastily built bridge over a flooded trench.

    A government inspection agency, SAEMAPE, indicated that the presence of armed soldiers at the site had sparked panic among miners. The report highlighted ongoing disputes between illegal miners, a cooperative intended to regulate activities there, and official operators, who are alleged to have Chinese ties. The chaos during the event caused a terrifying pile-up, leading to numerous fatalities and injuries.

    Photographs from the National Human Rights Commission depict rescue crews retrieving bodies from the flooded trench, with more than 17 bodies laid out on the ground. Arthur Kabulo, a provincial coordinator, estimated that over 10,000 illegal miners are active at Kalando, with operations suspended immediately following the tragedy. Long-standing issues like child labor, hazardous working conditions, and corruption continue to overshadow Congo’s vital cobalt industry, which is also tied to persistent regional conflicts stretching over decades.

  • Kabul’s Dried Wells Force Children Out of School and Into Long Water Lines

    Kabul’s Dried Wells Force Children Out of School and Into Long Water Lines

    Eight-year-old Noorullah and his twin brother Sanaullah spend their days carrying yellow jerrycans on a wheelbarrow through Kabul’s dusty streets instead of attending school—highlighting a family’s struggle that mirrors Afghanistan’s worsening water crisis.

    Once, their household relied on their own well for water, but since it dried up four years ago, the family of 13 has been forced to wait in line at communal taps or pool funds for expensive water tankers.

    Climate change has led to more frequent droughts and unpredictable rainfall in Afghanistan, making Kabul one of the most water-stressed cities in Asia, according to aid organizations. These shortages are contributing to the spread of disease, malnutrition, and dropping school attendance rates.

    The independent Kabul-based research group, Afghanistan Analysts Network, warned earlier this month that the city’s groundwater could be depleted by 2030, with other Afghan cities experiencing similar crises. The water shortage is deepening social inequality, as impoverished families spend up to 30% of their income on tanker water, while wealthier residents dig deeper private wells.

    The twin brothers line up with dozens of children at a communal tap, where tensions often flare into fights due to the intense heat.

    Noorullah, who has epilepsy, recounted a time he fainted during a water-fetching trip. Sanaullah added, “Sometimes we wait in line for three hours. When it’s too hot, we feel dizzy.”

    Their father, Assadullah, a 42-year-old shopkeeper, feels he has no choice. Sitting outside his small shop with empty water barrels nearby, he explained, “From morning until night, my kids go for water six or seven times a day.”

    “Sometimes they cry because they can’t carry more. But what else can we do?” he asked.

    The water shortages have also hit his income hard. On good days, he makes just two to three dollars, but often he leaves his shop to help his sons carry water loads.

    “We used to buy water from a company that lasted three or four days, but now that’s gone,” he said.

    In their yard, Assadullah’s wife washes dishes in a plastic basin, carefully measuring each jug of water. She mentioned her husband has developed a stomach ulcer, and she herself contracted H. pylori, a bacteria linked to unsafe water. “I boil water twice before giving it to our children, but it’s still a struggle,” she admitted.

    Kabul’s population has exploded beyond six million over the past two decades, yet infrastructure investments in water supply have fallen behind. Years of war have damaged much of the distribution network, pushing residents to rely on wells or costly water tankers, both of which are failing.

    Nearby, community volunteer Mohammad Asif Ayubi, 52, said more than 380 households face similar hardships. “Even wells 120 meters deep have dried up,” he explained, pointing to what was once considered a reliable water source.

    Droughts and unpredictable rainfall patterns have drastically reduced snowmelt—once a vital source—to replenish Kabul’s water basin. The city’s riverbeds are dry for most of the year. Najibullah Sadid, a water researcher based in Germany, confirmed that Kabul is among the most water-stressed areas globally.

    Earlier this month, UN envoy Roza Otunbayeva warned the Security Council that ongoing climate shocks, droughts, and migration could lead Kabul to become the first modern capital to run out of water “within years, not decades.”

    For Assadullah, the wish is simple: “If we had enough water, my children wouldn’t have to run around all day. They could go to school. Our whole life would change.”