Bermuda residents have helped to fund a campaign calling for accountability in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s mining sector.

More than 130 guests embraced the Stand With Congo team through special events and a fundraising gala at Marcus’ restaurant last month.

The events raised hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Speaking from New York, producer and campaign director JD Stier said: “Nowhere else on Earth has embraced the campaign with this degree of commitment. Bermuda has fully funded the Stand with Congo campaign. I couldn’t be more thrilled.

“That night alone shows the depth and breadth of Bermuda generosity, but also the depth and breadth of the community engagement that it took to pull this event off.”

The Stand With Congo campaign is a team of activists, film-makers, political and policy experts and professionals dedicated to tackling corruption.

Congo is one of the most mineral-rich nations in the world — minerals necessary to make electronic devices.

But instead of providing the people with revenue, these minerals have fuelled conflicts while making money for corrupt officials, armed groups and multinational corporations, according to the campaign.

Mr Stier described the situation in Congo as the deadliest conflict since the Second World War, causing more that 5.4 million deaths, principally through disease and starvation.

Despite the United States appointing a presidential envoy to the region three years ago, and the United Nations placing 17,000 permanent troops in the conflict zone, President Joseph Kabila is considered immune to pressure because he has a “blank cheque” from the world mining companies amounting to billions of dollars a year. There are also about 30 autonomous armed groups operating throughout the conflict zone, which the UN has deemed “the rape capital of the world”.

Mr Stier said he was impressed with the way business leaders operated in Bermuda and said “we’re trying to bring the ethics of business leadership to the way mining is conducted in Congo”.

“There was a lot of conversation about Congo. A lot of conversation about what kind of business leadership they want to see in the world,” he said.

“This whole campaign [is] leading to a better way of doing business, with transparency and with thought to labour and human rights in mind.

Robin Wright, the face of the campaign, narrated the award-winning film When Elephants Fight , which highlights how minerals are funding violence.

Describing the situation as one of “the most dire on the planet”, she is hoping that through transparency they can diminish the funds that fuel conflict, creating a more peaceful Congo.

Ms Wright told The Royal Gazette : “When I first discovered the connection that we have as consumers to the crisis that’s going on in Congo, I felt it was our personal human rights duty to put a voice out there for the Congolese people and start to change history for them.

“The level of violence that goes on and the atrocities against women ... all because of the minerals that are sitting in this little device [a mobile phone].

“With any revolution that has to take place for change, you have to make noise. There are so many people that are completely unaware of the connection we have and the more we spread the word, the more pressure we can put on electronics companies to change face and make a clean mineral supply chain.”

The campaign has gained enough traction that the organisers say they have reached a “tipping point”, when international support can “help bend the arc” towards transparency and equality in the Congo mining sector.

Ms Wright and Mr Stier recalled time spent in a cinder-block house inCongo with a local called Fidel Bafilemba, a key character in the documentary with the nickname “Mzee”, an affectionate Swahili term meaning “chief”.

“He is the voice for his people and he was our guide, he was our educator, he’s got the biggest heart,” Ms Wright said. “Then he brought us to all of these wonderful people and his culture.

“The hope that these people have is incredible. He was living in a cinder-block house with no windows. They’re so happy with nothing. It’s heart-wrenching to watch this documentary but you have to take action. We owe that to them. The more voices that spread this message, change will occur.”

Hamilton Rotary Club members have chosen the Stand With Congo campaign as their 2016 International Service project.

Greg Soares, the club president, hailed last month’s gala as a “massive success”.

“It was truly remarkable to be reminded how compassionate and generous Bermuda residents are with their time, energy, expertise and financial support,” he added. “All the corporate sponsors, donors, volunteers and attendees should be proud.

“Bermuda has really made the Stand With Congo Campaign a reality and one day I hope we can look back at this dark period in Congo’s history and say little Bermuda really did play a significant part for a brighter future for the Congolese people.”