Democratic Republic of Congo

More than 200 tribes populate this diverse country (formerly called Zaire) in the heart of Africa. At one-quarter the size of the United States, Congo is the third-largest country on the African continent and the fourth largest in terms of population. A good part of the country is dominated by the equatorial rainforest, the second-largest rainforest in the world. Another sizeable landmark in Congo is the Zaire River, which flows through much of the country. Congo is rich in natural resources, including 60 percent of the world's reserve of cobalt and a wealth of copper. Crops (including coffee, rice and bananas) and the harvesting of forests and ivory provide other sources of employment and income.

Life in Congo has been described as "brutality and insecurity alongside gentleness and community." Ever since the Bantu Bakongo kingdom (when the Portuguese first explored the area in the 15th century), the country's leadership has been changing. The country became independent in 1960, but soon the first government was overthrown. Subsequent economic difficulties and charges of government corruption added to the uncertainty of life in Congo. Today, with a crumbling economy and infrastructure, Congo is one of the poorest countries in the world.

That's why crafts are so important. Even the smallest bit of income generated by marketing traditional crafts can be a means of survival for the people of Congo. The Mennonite Central Committee (MCC Congo) coordinates the collection and shipment of handicrafts from artisan groups throughout the country. Congo's artisans produce items including hand-formed wire vehicles with moving parts and traditional carved masks.