What ‘Dr Love’ says about DR Congo

"it is referred to as dr love", says intentioné lokulutu. Doc-teur love, to be specific - inside the french manner. It's a telephone app to assist humans inside the democratic republic of congo find answers to awkward questions on intercourse.

Dr lokulutu is pleased with his introduction: it is a congolese way to a congolese hassle. Speaking approximately intercourse, he tells me in his deep, gravelly, barry white voice, is frequently taboo.

The dr love app is close to his coronary heart. Earlier than he certified as a health practitioner he'd got his then girlfriend pregnant. He'd heard that if a lady took  anti-malaria capsules earlier than sex they would act as a contraceptive.

His son, now 21, is a product of this incorrect data. So he is out to make sure others get it right.

However dr lokulutu, like many congolese human beings, has a trouble. He wishes investors. When protests loom, the government switches off the net, so he and his staff are unable to work.

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"in this context, no one will give you cash. It is not possible to plot because no one knows what is going to occur the next day," he says.

The protests stem from president joseph kabila's reluctance to go away power. His 2nd mandate ended greater than a year ago and the charter says he cannot have a third. However he's nevertheless there.He says he needs any other yr as president, in order to finish a census and prepare nicely for elections.

The competition says he had 15 years to do that before his 2d mandate ran out. They need to hear him say out loud that he'll step down.

In the meantime - like dr lokulutu's commercial enterprise plans - this u . S . Is on hold. And there is a lot catching up to do.

Buried treasure
One journey we made - through forests inside the east - took a whole backbone-numbing day. On an awesome road it would have taken an hour.

You can in shape luxembourg into this u . S . A . 900 times. However luxembourg has twice as many kilometres of tarmac.Faculties and hospitals - where they exist at all - urgently need funding.

And dr congo has the buried treasure to pay for it.

It has large reserves of copper and diamonds and is the sector's primary manufacturer of cobalt - the mineral had to make the batteries for the electrical vehicles we're speeding to buy.

As a substitute, the congolese are searching in their rear-view mirror. And what they see drawing near is a go back to instability and battle.The ultimate battle ended slightly 15 years in the past, and for many, recollections of it are still clean.

Japanese dr congo is a -hour flight from the capital, kinshasa.

Government manipulate there is susceptible. Militias nonetheless hold sway, and a map via a collection tracking them seems like patchwork of extra than a hundred and twenty zones.Dr congo: what you need to understand
Civil war broke out in the democratic republic of congo, then zaire, in 1997
That 12 months, laurent kabila took energy earlier than being assassinated in 2001
He changed into succeeded with the aid of his son, joseph
The struggle led to 2003, with six million people lifeless
After serving two phrases, joseph kabila turned into due to go away office in 2016 however remains in energy
Read extra: dr congo us of a profile

Dr congo: too wealthy for its own precise

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The united nations is a first-rate player right here. With church buildings and charities, it tries to fill the gaps left by an overstretched and struggling authorities.

Wellknown derrick mgwebi heads the un peacekeeping pressure. It's the most important inside the world however as the general knows, there are limits to what it could gain.

Addressing the nation on radio okapi, a station also funded by means of the un, he stated that without a democratic transition, with out an attempt to stop the political impasse, there will usually be conflicts.

After which there are people who are fleeing the violence - the internally displaced human beings, or idps.

Just final yr on my own violence within the vital kasai area compelled another million human beings into internal exile.

Diy education
However this is not the message i want to depart you with.

Because it's in no way the message i depart congo with.

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Allow me tell you about vumi. She lives near uvira, a city inside the east lately attacked by a armed forces.

She's 17, and can not afford to move to high school. Others ladies in her metropolis fear they will be attacked on their way to training. They choose not to wear uniform.

So they are studying by means of radio. In village halls they sit down - quiet and attentive. The radio imposes field. Arrive past due - or speak - and you will omit the lesson.