No change without sacrifice

Alfred Buju meets miners in the DRC

Alfred Buju is now head of the Justice and Peace Commission in the DRC, but worked as a child miner to pay for his schooling

Aged just eleven, Alfred Buju was already splitting his time between going to school and going down the mine – a necessary balancing act for a boy determined to better himself.

The obvious hardships of a miner’s life struck a chord with the young boy during his five years in the pit searching for gold, and inspired him to one day help those around him.

He says: “Although it was difficult, it motivated me to keep going with my studies, and I drew a positive lesson from the experience.

“You have to struggle for your own life and your own future, and it built within me a sense of taking control of myself. It helped me to endure such suffering.”

Mining for school fees

As with many others both then and now, Alfred had no choice but to keep mining if he wanted to continue studying because his father, also a miner, could not afford the school fees alongside other basic necessities.

Eventually, Alfred was able to complete his secondary education and joined the priesthood after training – but he never forgot those he had left behind.

“I felt committed to work for the poor and, as the son of a miner who had also experienced the hard life for myself, I understood the difficulties faced by those who wanted to pay the school fees for their children."

The Justice and Peace Commission is committed to educating as many people as possible for, as Alfred says, only through education can the poor learn how to fight for their rights.

Access to information can be hard for those without money, so initiatives such as community radio and local workshops are crucial to spreading the Commission’s message.

Alfred says: “They need to know about their rights and duties, and they need information if they want to hold their leaders accountable for their actions.

“Through the radio, we can spread such news and information, and we also have workshop sessions on issues such as civic education, human rights and peace and reconciliation.”

Faith is a journey

“My faith as a Christian and my identity as a priest keeps me going, and I am personally committed to the identity and mission of Jesus to help the poor as in Luke 4, verses 16-21.

“I am inspired by the stories of others such as Martin Luther King and Oscar Romero. Faith is a journey and you have to walk in the footsteps of those who came before you. Without sacrifice, there cannot be change.”

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