CROSSINGS the journey to peace

‘CROSSINGS’ offers a compelling glimpse into the lives of cross-border traders in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and illustrates the potential of this trade to contribute to peace in the region. The DRC is the third largest country in Africa. Despite its vast mineral wealth, its people are among the poorest in the world. Decades of conflict have left the country devastated. Around two million Congolese citizens have been internally displaced from their homes in North and South Kivu, and hundreds of thousands more have fled to neighbouring countries. Today, armed groups control large areas in the east, creating insecurity and preying on a defenceless population. Combined with the inability of the state to adequately govern, this means that roads and other infrastructure remain dilapidated, millions of people are unable to access basic public services and young people struggle to find jobs. Yet despite these troubles, life goes on in eastern DRC. In a region where economic opportunities are limited, small-scale cross-border trade is one of the most important means for ordinary people to feed, clothe and educate their families. Three-quarters of these traders are women. International Alert, the peace building NGO believes cross-border trade offers an important opportunity for peace and prosperity in the region. Since 2009 Alert has been training women traders in business and cooperative skills, supporting dialogue with border officials and authorities, and raising awareness of the daily struggle traders face. This trade is also a daily reminder of the strong economic links between DRC and its eastern neighbours, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda, despite the political tensions between them. So central is this contribution that in June 2013 the World Bank announced $1 billion in new funding to help, inter alia cross-border trade.

Carol Allen Storey is an award-winning documentary photo journalist specialising in chronicling complex humanitarian and social issues. “My images are intimate, about issues and citizens I deeply care about. I believe photographs may not be capable of doing the moral work for us, but they can trigger the process of social consciousness.” In 2000 Carol graduated Central St. Martins, Master Photography Programme with distinction. Storey’s further degrees include an MA at Columbia University and a BA at Syracuse University. A native New Yorker, Storey resides in London