Why delivering the mail in Congo is so hard

, of the ancient Persian postal system, that “neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” Snow is not much of a problem in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but dozens of rebel groups make delivering the mail rather difficult. So do bad roads and a dysfunctional government.

The post office’s director, Dominique Molisho, reckons that only 40% of letters reach their recipients. Many houses in Goma do not have addresses, he explains. Moreover, people move often. Matters are even trickier outside the city in the rest of North Kivu province, an area larger than Switzerland where more than 40 rebel groups lurk in the bush.

Rural Catholic missionaries sometimes help, picking up bundles of post every week and pinning letters to the windows of parish buildings, where villagers come to collect them. The missionaries also sell stamps, and take letters to Goma on their return trip.

Post 10 copies, pray one gets through. Smoke signals and jungle drums as back up ...

That’s way too high!

this pic

Sad

True words!!

Great. Any way you can do that to my emails and texts?

Well to be sure just send it twice

Because it’s the Congo...

Try sending a birthday present to someone in Europe. Success rate low due to thievery and unreliability.

Did you ever wait for a letter in Dubai?

Having a lot of family in Congo, I can't help but thinking that 40% is very, very optimistic.

Songs of these required for the boys on the round then...

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