Courage in the Congo - Vol 1 Sneak Peek
Words: Sam Hayden
Illustration: Alicia Hayden
One of the values that makes up Viridis is Integrity. This is a concept that can be quite diffuse, so I would like to share a story that displays an attitude we wish to adopt… even if it will be difficult to live up to it.
This story follows a friend of mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We'll call him Joseph.
Joseph works on the outer limits of a national park, between the main protected zone, and the population living on the edge of the forest. He works his day job as a park ranger. It should be noted that this is on the edge of Virunga National Park, the “world’s most dangerous park”. In his spare time, Joseph keeps his environmental and humanitarian work up through his own initiative that he started with some friends, teaching local people about the importance of caring for the environment, distributing supplies to people displaced by conflict and natural disasters, and carrying out minor works such as water purifying stations and installing clean water storage facilities for small settlements during Covid.
The edge of the park he lives and works in is located in the North Eastern part of the DRC, a beautiful but scarred region containing flora and fauna as unique as they are beautiful, an untold wealth of natural resources, active volcanoes, and over 120 armed militias, rebel groups and terrorist cells. It was one of these rebel groups that shot Joseph in the back, narrowly missing his spine. Thankfully, he made it through and was thanked for his service in person by the director of the ICCN (the DRCs wildlife conservation authority).
After a month he was out of the hospital and working again. Certainly not for money or fame, which he will likely not receive, but because he feels that the natural world around him truly matters, as well as the people; even if they don’t always mean him well…