Cobalt fuels the world. Blood fuels Congo.

Congo is the world’s largest source of cobalt, a material essential for the batteries that power smartphones, laptops, and electric vehicles. Yet behind this global demand lies a region marked by decades of armed conflict. Militias and armed groups fight for control over mineral-rich territories, resulting in widespread violence, displacement, and hundreds of thousands of deaths through both direct attacks and the broader consequences of war.

In and around the mines, fatal accidents are common: collapsing tunnels, unsafe conditions, and the presence of children performing hazardous work. While the world advances technologically, Congolese communities continue to bear the human cost of an industry shaped by exploitation, corruption, and instability.

Progress should not depend on conflict and loss of life. Recognizing the true cost of cobalt is the first step toward demanding accountability and ensuring that the future we build does not come at the expense of those who mine the materials that sustain it. This message is not a slogan; it is a call for awareness and responsibility.