Falling Whistles Campaigns for Peace in Congo

Image credit: FallingWhistles.com

Right now, the world's deadliest war since WWII is taking place in the Democratic Republic of Congo. More than 6 million people have lost their lives to this war over the past decade. Every day, nearly 1,500 more people are killed. Additionally, sexual violence is more rampant in Congo than anywhere else in the world. Sean Carasso learned about these horrifying truths when he visited the country in late 2007. After traveling the world and volunteering with TOMS Shoes and Invisible Children, Carasso made a stop in Congo. During his stay, he heard of children being sent to the front lines of war; those who were too small to carry a gun were armed with nothing but a whistle.

Carasso wrote about these young boys being forced to fight (and oftentimes die), and people who read his account began asking what can be done. That journal entry quickly gave birth to a campaign for peace in Congo. Carasso and David Lewis founded Falling Whistles, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the war in Congo, helping the individuals affected by it, and ultimately putting an end to the conflict.

While it accepts donations, Falling Whistles mainly employs a commerce-based business model, selling fashionable metal whistle necklaces for $34 to $54. The organization encourages people to become whistleblowers for peace by wearing the necklaces as a symbol of protest and spreading the word about the movement. Sales from the whistles go toward funding the campaign; Falling Whistles partners with local community leaders who rehabilitate children affected by the war through education, medical treatment, nutrition, art, vocational skills training, and other services.

To date, Falling Whistles has invested in 8 Congolese leaders and gained the support of 35 congressmen, 16 senators, 77 organizations, 200 retailers, and 50,000 whistleblowers – all within the span of three years.