Project

Congo's Conflict: Profit and Loss

The war beginning in 1998 that pitted the armies of Congo, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Angola against those of Uganda and Rwanda induced the largest humanitarian disaster since World War II, with an estimated four million Congolese lives lost. Congo's first national elections since 1965 have taken place, but true peace and democracy remain elusive goals.

The population is continuously caught in a deadly whirlpool fueled by weapons transfers, infrastructure breakdown, ineffective leadership and insecurity. Mvemba Phezo Dizolele traveled through Congo in June and July to cover one of the most under-reported conflicts in the world today. His reports on the elections, small arms trade and the role of Coltan in the ongoing conflict have appeared in The New York Times, The St. Louis Post Dispatch and on PBS.

Pulitzer Center Congo Footage Airs on Dancing with the Stars, Tuesday 10/19

Footage from Mvemba Phezo Dizolele's reporting project, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where air on Dancing with the Stars on Tuesday, October 19. Dancing with the Stars will use the footage to help tell the story of a group of five dancers from the DRC that will be dancing on the show.

Visit ABC.com for local listings and to watch the episode.

Crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calls the sexual violence in eastern Congo "one of mankind's greatest atrocities." An update on the security crisis and what the U.S. and other nations can do to help stabilize the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Guests

John Prendergast, co-chair of the ENOUGH Project, an initiative to end genocide and crimes against humanity

Mvemba Dizolele, former Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting grantee and national fellow, Hoover Institution

Round three: Winning essays

In June 2008, The Pulitzer Center partnered with Helium to continue its third round of the Global Issues/Citizen Voices Writing Contest. Contestants chose topics for their essays from prompts related to different Pulitzer Center reporting projects. Find their winning essays below.

How does stigma and discrimination, as witnessed in Jamaica, perpetuate the global HIV/AIDS epidemic?
Read winning essay by Glynnis Hayward

Round One: Winning Essays

In March 2008, The Pulitzer Center partnered with Helium to launch its first round of the Global Issues/Citizen Voices Contest. Find the winning essays here.