JenniferOladipo.com

It’s not just blood diamonds.

I’ve been assisting on a project of the Majora Carter Group to bring a green economic empowerment plan to a small group of the thousands of rape survivors in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has meant becoming more aware of the intersection of war, sexual violence, and natural resources.

Right now, 10 a.m. EST, the Diane Rehm Show is discussing these issues, as well as some history of the decade-long conflict, and how the rest of the world, including the United States, is implicated in the conflict. Hint: if you’ve got a cell phone, or you’re reading this on a laptop, it’s got to do with you. Google coltan, for starters.

The big motivation for this is Secretary of State Hilary Clinton’s visit to Congo Monday. The shows are are archived and it’s been really informative so far, so you can check it out at www.drshow.org if you’ve missed it.

From where I sit, it’s all bits and pieces. Finding evidence of green ventures throughout the African continent isn’t difficult with a little bit of internet time.

A bio-gas facility in Rwanda reuses waste, conserves resources, and provides the energy to cook three meals a day for school students. Sub-Saharan Companies are showing willingness to adopt green building techniques (which, one assumes, means either the construction industry is going green, or new green builders are popping up). Countless individuals are creating their own useful innovations for fun or to fulfill need, and they’re coming together to share ideas and accomplishments with each other and the world.

However, getting a good, broad picture is more difficult when you’re in Kentucky. Of course, looking for a cohesive and telling picture of 54 countries spread across 30,221,532 sq. km. (11,668,545 sq. mi.) is just silly. Instead I’m e-mailing people who might help me cobble something together, by country or by region. I’ve encountered a few leads, and plenty of dead ends. Much of my correspondence seems to still be making its way across the Atlantic. C’est la vie. I have to admit, searching is part of the fun.