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New multimedia exhibition launches in Belfast on crisis in Democratic Republic of Congo
A new multimedia exhibition in Belfast organised by Concern Worldwide seeks to share the compelling stories of people displaced and directly impacted by the humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
'And so, I fled: DRC - the crisis the world ignored' focuses on the lives of individuals who have been forced to flee their homes in eastern DRC - the region worst-affected by the conflict. Some of them have faced physical violence at the hands of armed groups, others have lost their homes, sources of income and land.
The exhibition, which opens at the Belfast Exposed gallery on 3 April as part of Late Night Art Belfast, features a seven-metre-wide LED video wall, previously used on the set of Disney’s Mandalorian series, as well as striking photos by Kenyan photographer Eugene Wachira Ikua, who works for Concern.
‘And so, I fled’ presents first-hand accounts of people living in eastern DRC, who share how years of conflict have overshadowed their daily lives. They describe how they have been impacted by this largely neglected crisis, and how they are finding ways to survive, adapt and recover.
Jackie Trainor, NI Director of Concern Worldwide, said:
This exhibition is unlike anything we’ve done before. The huge immersive video screen brings the sights and sounds of daily life for people in DRC so close to us. Their stories will help inspire and encourage people in Northern Ireland to continue to support communities facing crises around the world.
The exhibition also details the difference support from Concern Worldwide and humanitarian partners ACTED, Congo Handicap, Danish Refugee Council, and Première Urgence Internationale is making to those worst-affected, through the Enabling Affected Communities to Survive and Thrive (EAST) project. The £28-million programme, which lasts for just over two years, is funded by the UK government.
Russell Gates, Concern’s Regional Director for Central Africa and a former DRC Country Director, said:
The Belfast exhibition exposes just how precarious daily life is for communities in crisis, with millions of people losing their homes, their livelihoods, and facing threats and violence. But is also shows how people are recovering and getting on with their lives, with support from organisations like Concern and vital funding from UK aid.
The exhibition features people like Aldegonde Kasoki Simisi and her two-year-old son Japhet. Thanks to support from organisations Première Urgence International and Congo Handicap, Japhet has been receiving treatment at a centre for people with disabilities to rectify mobility issues he has had from birth and is now able to walk with specialist shoes. Aldegonde said:
If I try to remember when I was hopeless and compare it to now, after my child has been through the therapy programme, I am very happy today. The emotion I have is one of joy to see that my child is being taken care of.
Alice Masika Nzangura, a mother of five, was forced to flee her home repeatedly due to conflict. She and her family found safety in a camp in North Kivu, where she then started up her own dressmaking business with support from Concern Worldwide. Today, Alice has expanded her shop and is passing on her skills to other women in the community. Alice said:
My shop has been open for a year. I have been able to buy five sewing machines and have trained six people. There is work and a business from selling the fabrics that I purchase. I can make five dresses in a day. Now I hope and expect that in a year, I'll be a boss lady.
The decades-long conflict in DRC has forced more than 7.2 million people from their homes, making it the second largest internal displacement crisis in Africa and one of the worst in the world. DRC also faces one of the world’s worst hunger emergencies. But despite its scale and severity, the crisis remains largely ignored by the rest of the world.
'And so, I fled: DRC - the crisis the world ignored' opens on 3 April at 6pm and runs until Saturday 12 April in the Studio Gallery, Belfast Exposed, Donegall Street, Belfast, BT1 2FF.
For more information or media interviews, please contact: Darren Vaughan, Senior Comms Officer in Belfast: [email protected]