Systemic change with a big pay off February 18, 2021 By Valery Nodem | Presbyterian Hunger Program Artisanal miner in Lubumbashi transporting bags of cobalt from the mining pits to be processed before transportation. They do very hard work and are exposed to a lot of risks, usually for very little pay. Photo by Valery Nodem. Despite being one of the worldâs richest countries in natural resources, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is among the worldâs poorest countries. This contradiction, fueled by endemic corruption and a dysfunctional public administration, can feel insurmountable. But Jean Marie Kabanga, the coordinator of our partner network POM (Joining Hands DRC), knows that each small step brings the country closer to systemic change.