Benita's research seeks to understand and address the root causes of poverty in the Democratic Republic of The Congo to help find sustainable solutions to the country's political, economic, and sociological dilemmas. Amidst growing global demand for cobalt as a critical component in rechargeable batteries to solve climate change dilemmas and given that as much as 60% of global cobalt reserves are in Katanga, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Benita Kayembe investigates the human cost in the cobalt supply chain through a qualitative study of the health impacts of artisanal mining work. She hopes to play a role in informing policies that highlight affected communities' voices to improve miners' working conditions and ensure that the Congolese population benefits from the innovations built from their resources.