Instead of joining one of the militias that have been murdering people in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo for years, some young people in Virunga National Park are kicking a ball around in the hopes of one day becoming professional players.
The newly established football school in the park, a natural wonder famous for its mountain gorillas and volcanoes but troubled by armed groups, recruited about 50 boys between the ages of 10 and 16.
The park’s administrative offices and a military camp are located in Rumangabo, a community in North Kivu, where the stadium was constructed.
According to the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the area is adjacent to the area where the “March 23 Movement” (M23) rebels are engaged in combat. M23 is a long-standing insurgency that gained strength late last year with assistance from neighboring Rwanda.
Without hope or plans, young individuals born into this environment of chaos and violence are easily enlisted by armed organizations or poachers.
