I don't know if we should call it a street, because it's an open space between two small houses where people have been forced to flee their homes after a succession of wars. It's been the same story in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo for almost 30 years. Millions of people have been forced to flee their homes, taking with them their meagre possessions and shattered hopes; families have been separated; infrastructure has been destroyed; children no longer have access to education or health care; access to drinking water is limited; malnutrition and disease are spreading rapidly; and there is no prospect of a peaceful future. Despite the many efforts made by the international community, humanitarian organisations and the Congolese authorities to resolve this conflict, the situation remains fragile and complex. As the fighting rages in the hills around their villages, these displaced people have walked for miles across a country torn apart by the fighting to reach the outskirts of Goma. Determined to rebuild their lives despite the difficult circumstances, some have taken up small-scale street trading in the hope of earning some money to feed their families and look forward to a better future. However, despite their tireless efforts to rebuild their daily lives, these displaced populations faced new challenges when war came to their doorsteps in the camps, with attacks and armed violence forcing many families to flee once again to seek safer refuge elsewhere.The war crisis in eastern DRC is a complex and devastating situation that has been ongoing for decades.
The project aims to raise awareness of the complex and tragic reality of this situation, highlighting the violence, forced displacement, precarious living conditions and the aspirations of the victims for a better and safer life. The images could also serve as a reminder of the urgency of the situation, an incentive for humanitarian and political action, and a testimony to the need to promote peace, justice and reconciliation in the region. Under the Shadow of War' is a series of photographs that will help preserve the memory of these tragic events, bear witness to the strength and dignity of the survivors, and encourage empathy, solidarity and unity for peace and justice for the war-affected populations of eastern DRC.