These hard working ladies carried 2 20L water containers uphill for 500M to help build the water tank at the school! 

This work helps them to provide for their families.

Many people fled Goma, to escape the violence, a few years ago. They are now returning. However, they live in refugee camps (mostly tents), at the base of the active volcano, which you see in the background. It overflows every 10 years or so........this is year 12, I think?! As you see, it is smoking quite a lot some days......really makes this prairie girl ponder things.......just knowing these people eliminates any sense of entitlement, under which I could keep the suffering of others at bay.......

Kinshasa

From a distance, the downtown area of Kinshasa can appear built up and prosperous. There are actually some embassy areas that are quite lovely. However many of the buildings that give the appearance of a thriving city centre, on closer examination were not quite what they seem...

MY NEXT RIDE..........

yup, it's a tree!

I am sitting in Amsterdam on the way back to Canada.......it's cold out here! I think I will be staying home for a while!

This is a row of shops selling various products.  The interesting thing about them is that these are also the only homes of the shop owners! At night they put a curtain across the front. So their whole life is spent in these small 'tents'