"Zone Rouge": An army of children toils in African mines

The area is plagued by insecurity. Its lone school was ransacked by the “malaso,” bands of well-armed cattle thieves whose presence deters local travelers and most aid groups from passing through the region.

Solange said she typically enters the mica pits at about 7 a.m. and works until at least 7 p.m. The environment down below is stifling: temperatures that can exceed 95 degrees, low oxygen levels that can hinder breathing.

She often descends into the pit with her 4-year-old daughter Mirela strapped to her back but wearing no goggles or safety equipment.

“We don’t have any money,” Solange said. “We don’t have any choice.”