The world is buzzing about the U.S. election results, and Afghanistan — where I'm collecting stories on Mercy Corps projects — is no exception. When we arrived at Mercy Corps' Kunduz office on Election Day, everyone there was quizzing us on the Electoral Vote count, and what states Obama was winning or close to it. In the days since, I've broached the subject with everyone from a group of young hotel employees to a trio of farmers in the hills east of Kunduz. Everyone had something to say about it.

"We hope that he will increase assistance to Afghanistan," said Syeed, a wheat farmer in Burka Province. He and his companions were happy about Obama's pledge of financial support to their country. "We will support anyone who says they will bring that kind of help to our country."

Many Afghans were elated about Obama's Muslim heritage, even if Obama himself is a Christian. "Simply having those roots in his family is big for us," said Enyatullah, one of our waiters at a Kunduz hotel. "Our religion has been seen as so terrible in the United States."

I was sure I'd hear at least some concern about Obama's pledge to send more U.S. troops to fight the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Surprisingly, though, that's one of the reasons people said they were thrilled with Obama's election. Amanullah Amin, a civil engineer I spoke to, was convinced that Obama "will attack the roots of terror in the country. There is a saying here: If you want a clean river, don't go to the middle, don't go to the end — go to the source."

We were driving through the desert Wednesday morning while Obama spoke in Chicago's Grant Park, but Miguel and I watched the replay on CNN that night in our Kunduz hotel room. Photo: Miguel Samper for Mercy Corps

A Congolese woman recovers at a hospital in Goma, DRC. Photo: Endre Vestvik (flickr)

Congo has the world's biggest deposits of gold, copper, diamonds, and tin. Its dramatic mountain landscapes once inspired Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn’s romantic saga in The African Queen.

But that was before Congo’s internal conflicts drove foreign investors and tourists out of the region, dramatically reducing economic output and government revenue.

In the last decade, more people have died in the DRC than in Iraq, Afghanistan and Darfur combined. Political initiatives by Africa, the West and the UN — including the deployment of more UN peacekeeping troops than any other nation in the world — has failed to stop the fighting and protect the lives of Congolese civilians.

If there's a bright spot, it's that humanitarians are highlighting what UN officials call the "worst sexual violence in the world."

In the last ten years, hundreds of thousands of women have been raped. But it received little recognition from the government and there were few prosecutions. Now, European aid agencies and the UN are spending millions of dollars building courthouses and prisons to punish rapists. Mobile courts are holding rape trials in the hard-to-reach villages. And the government is paying for Congolese investigators to travel to Europe to learn "CSI"-style forensic techniques.

The results are seen in towns like Bunia, where rape prosecutions have increased 600 percent in five years. There are organizations like Women for Women, which teaches rape survivors how to read and write, cook, make soap and other skills that could empower them to be financially independent. Grassroots campaigns are encouraging rape victims to speak out in open forums.

These signs provide some hope that amid Congo's chaos, there's at least a chance for positive change.

Photo: whiteafrican (flickr)

Each day, one million South Africans get a text message that reads something like this:

Frequently sick, tired, losing weight and scared that you might be HIV positive? Please call AIDS Helpline 0800012322.

It's part of Project Masiluleke — which means “hope” and “warm counsel” in Zulu — a plan to use mobile phones to encourage South Africans to test for HIV. It is believed to be the largest mobile communication campaign for health promotion ever attempted.

South Africa has an estimated six million people infected with HIV, according to the United Nations. And almost 90 percent of South Africans have mobile phones with plans that include free “please call me” text messages.

Encouraging people to get tested is a challenge in a country where stigma and shame accompanies a positive diagnosis. Project Masiluleke will offer South Africans discretion and privacy to get tested, treatment options and counseling.

Initial results have been encouraging. During three weeks of usability testing in October, Project Masiluleke helped increase daily call volume to the National AIDS Helpline in Johannesburg by nearly 200 percent, according to National Geographic.

As CNET reports, "This isn't the first time cell phones have been employed in the battle against AIDS. In August, a catchy 'condom, condom' ringtone made its debut as part of a three-year ad campaign aimed at making condom use more socially acceptable in India."

Project Masiluleke is another good demonstration of how mobile phones can be used for the public good. Let's hope it encourages South Africans to take control of their health and pursue the care they need.