In his novel The Heart of Darkness, Ukrainian writer Joseph Conrad described a Belgian colonist who was driven mad by his desire to possess the natural riches of Congo, while the Congolese around him suffered for it.

Conrad was not the first to realize the disparity between the rich potential of the Congo and the poverty of its people, nor, unfortunately, is he the last. Today, although called the Democratic Republic of Congo, democracy is tenuous in the vast country, in which warlords and local militias often rule. Still recovering from the devastation of its 2008 civil war, in which 2.4 million people were killed, the DRC is holding a presidential election this month, November 28, 2011.

As tragic as the death toll is, equally tragic is the needlessness of this violence. Beneath the surface of its terrain, Congo is a country rich with gold, ivory, copper, uranium, coltran (a mineral used in electronics), and much more. As The Economist magazine put it, Congo “is brimming with enough minerals to fill the world’s smelters and metal stores.” Yet due to violence and a lack of peaceful rule, these resources are mostly used to keep militias running, instead of develop the country. Yet while this new election gives Congo a chance to enjoy peaceful democracy, and domestic and foreign aid groups have invested $700 million dollars into it, this is a crucial time to stand behind Congo.

At American Initiatives, we believe that education is a crucial step toward democracy; it is much easier for a population to take control of their destinies with an education. For this reason we have chosen to support construction of a school in Kondo-Tshumbe, in a rural village far from the capital Kinshasa, where security is often non-existent and violence rife. In the past few months, the local community has constructed its school, co-financed by American Initiatives and the Nando Peretti Foundation, with 12 classrooms to accommodate 335 students. However, to provide a quality education to these students, more equipment and supplies are needed for school furnishings and educational materials. For this reason, American Initiatives is directing its efforts toward Congo for the remainder of 2012, to help them unlock their potential at this crucial moment in their history.