Who Am I?
My name is Serge Kikonda and I am from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), formally known as Zaire. Located in Central Africa, the DR Congo is home to over 80 million people. It is famously known throughout the world for its vast mineral resources, wealth of fertile soil, hydroelectric power potential, highly diverse cultures and so much more. There are over 5 languages spoken in the DR Congo, 2 of which I am fluent in (French and Lingala).
In 2014, I graduated "Le Lycee Albert Camus (LAC)," a French highschool located in Conakry, Guinea. Soon after, I decided to go to college but I wanted to switch education system. As a result, I immediately transitioned to the American Education System (without taking any ESL classes) and went to the University of Cincinnati, Clermont College. It was there where I made a name for myself and accomplished things that most thought impossible. I graduated UC Clermont College with the highest honor (Summa Cum Laude) thanks to my 4.0 GPA, earned an Associate Degree in Applied Sciences, with a concentration in Computer Networking System (CNS) and Computer System Support Technology (CSST), and a couple of certifications, such as my Cisco Certified Entry level Network Technician (CCENT).
While being a full-time student and working full-time, I managed to accomplish several things that I am very proud of, and was ultimately known for:
-
I was active around the Clermont County Community (Winning the 24th Annual Adult Spelling-Bee(2016)).
-
I featured in several UC Articles (UC-Foundation, The Lantern, #UCCFirst, UC-eNews, etc.)
-
I was once featured in the Clermont County Community Journal (Community Journal).
-
I was a Math/French Peer Tutor and Supplemental Instructor at the UC Clermont Learning Center.
-
I was a UC Clermont Student Ambassador and an active Public Speaker.
-
I was the Captain of the UC Clermont Soccer Team.
-
I won several awards.
Soon after my graduation, I decided to go back to school to earn a second degree and embellish my resume. I am currently at the University of Cincinnati, Clifton campus majoring in Information Technology (IT), with a concentration in Cyber Security. Once completed, I am going to determine whether or not go back to school for a third and final time to earn a Graduate degree.
As you can tell, I am a big Cincinnati lover. So far, I have enjoyed its people, its diversity, and so much more. More importantly, I have really enjoyed being a student at the University of Cincinnati.
Where am I from?
I am from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Located in Central Africa, the DR Congo is home to over 80 million people. It is famously known throughout the world for its vast mineral resources, wealth of fertile soil, hydroelectric power potential, highly diverse cultures and so much more. There are over 5 languages spoken in the DR Congo, 2 of which I am fluent in (French and Lingala).
I am from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Located in Central Africa, the DR Congo is home to over 80 million people. It is famously known throughout the world for its vast mineral resources, wealth of fertile soil, hydroelectric power potential, highly diverse cultures and so much more. There are over 5 languages spoken in the DR Congo, 2 of which I am fluent in (French and Lingala).
The Democratic Republic of Congo is the second largest country in Africa (after Algeria) and largest country in Sub- Saharan Africa. Its capital, Kinshasa, is not only located on the Congo River (about 320 miles from its mouth) but it is considered to be the largest city in central Africa. Kinshasa serves as the country’s official administrative, economic, and cultural centre.
If you wish to learn what the DRC's national anthem is, listen to this:
The Democratic Republic of Congo is often referred to by its acronym, the DRC, or called Congo (Kinshasa), with the capital added parenthetically. This enables allows it to be distinguished from the other Congo republic, which is officially called the Republic of the Congo and is often referred to as Congo (Brazzaville).
DR Congo gained independence from Belgium in 1960. From 1971 to 1997, DRC was known officially as the Republic of Zaire, a name given by then ruler Gen. Mobutu Sese Seko. This was intented to give the country what he thought was a more authentic African name. “Zaire” is no more than a variation of a term meaning “great river” in local African languages. Just like the country’s current name, it refers to the Congo River.
DRC’s main economic resource is its mineral deposits. Take mining for instance. It alone produces almost nine- tenths of total exports. The abundance of minerals in the Katanga province was among those factors that attracted European powers to Congo in the 19th century. Minerals found in the province include:
-
Copper,
-
Cobalt,
-
Zinc,
-
Cassiterite (the chief source of metallic tin),
-
Manganese,
-
Coal,
-
Silver,
-
Admium,
-
Germanium (a brittle element used as a semiconductor),
-
Gold,
-
Palladium (a metallic element used as a catalyst and in alloys),
-
Uranium,
-
Platinum and so much more.
DRC's Lake Kivu harbours vast reserves of methane, carbonic, and nitrogen natural gases. In addition to that, there are deposits of iron ore and gem-quality diamonds in south-central DRC while the central regions of DRC are very rich in industrial diamonds. The country’s forest reserves covers more than half of the entire country and is considered to be among the largest in Africa. Wild game is an important item in local commerce.
Here are some fun facts about DRC:
- It is 4 times bigger than France and 100 times bigger than Belgium.
- It is estimated that the country’s hydroelectric resources make up about one-eighth of global capacity and perhaps half of Africa’s potential capacity.
For more information on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), please visit: "Britannica- The Democratic Republic of Congo."