In the Democratic Republic of Congo, up to 10% of the population is living with HIV. A unique project aims to help Congolese women fight both the disease and the social stigma it carries.

Julie’s story is typical of the many thousands of women in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) whose lives have been devastated by HIV/AIDS. After her husband and baby daughter died of an AIDS-related illness, Julie discovered that she was HIV-positive. She moved into her parents’ house in Kinshasa for a short time, until they too died from HIV/AIDS and she was left to look after her younger brothers and sisters. The family lost their home and, like so many people living with HIV, Julie was rejected by her community.
But she was lucky enough to find support from Fondation Femme Plus (FFP), an organisation which helps isolated and marginalised HIV-positive women in the DRC. A total of around 1,200 members – many of whom have been forced to live on the streets – receive social support and financial assistance from the organisation.

Julie is one of 15 FFP members who have taken part in a unique project funded by Christian Aid, which offered them training as photographers. Most of the group were widows, many struggling to support large families. Some had never seen a camera before, but all were keen to learn. They have documented their everyday lives with families and friends, their contact with health services, and their personal experience of the social tragedy caused by the virus. Their work is a powerful account of the fight against HIV/AIDS, and their determination to raise awareness of this devastating disease both in the DRC and internationally.

“Through my photos, I wanted to make people more aware of AIDS, to show the consequences of the disease and to give advice; but also to demonstrate the hope that I still have in life, despite my illness,” says Julie. “My work can help people who suffer from HIV/AIDS, giving them the courage to make something of themselves. They are still human beings capable of creating something that the whole world can take an interest in and
value.”

As well as increasing their self-respect and confidence, the training has also given the women a new means of earning money to support their families. The DRC’s Director General of Health has already commissioned one of the women to take photographs for National Vaccination Day, and others hope to find work photographing weddings and other family events. According to FFP director Bernadette Mulelebwe, “This project signifies that these women have not only found a joy in living, but also hope – hope that this apprenticeship will give them a helping hand towards reintegrating into society, a way toward valuing themselves, a way towards the transformation from failure to victory.”

The women taking part in the project were trained by PhotoVoice, a UK-based non-profit organisation that specialises in helping disadvantaged groups around the world express themselves through photography: www.photovoice.org

Image: Page spread © Christian Aid/Photovoice/Beatrice

Image: Embracing women © Christian Aid/Photovoice/Annie