A fisherman sleeping on his nets at the fishery, in Goma, DRC.
2025 Photo Contest - Africa - Stories

The Lake Has Fallen Silent

Photographer

Aubin Mukoni

20 March, 2024

A fisherman sleeping on his nets at the fishery, in Goma, DRC.

Lake Kivu, a majestic body of water at the border between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is a place where stories intertwine and destinies converge. Beneath the placid beauty of the waters and the surrounding fishing communities lies turbulence and uncertainty. 

During the tragic events of the Rwandan genocide, the city of Goma, located on the Congolese shore of Lake Kivu, was seen as a refuge from violence. Today, a significant portion of Goma's population consists of displaced people. Over time, Lake Kivu has taken on various meanings, ranging from a place of refuge to a space of conflict.

Meanwhile, the changing climate casts a long shadow over the lake, bringing more violent storms, warming waters, and a dwindling fish population. Plastic waste is a major source of pollution for the waterways of Lake Kivu, threatening the health of the aquatic ecosystem along with the livelihoods of the people who fish the waters. The discovery of methane gas reserves beneath the lake's sediment presents both opportunities and risks. While the extraction of methane could provide a source of energy and economic growth for the region, it also raises concerns about environmental damage and potential safety hazards.  

This project documents the multifaceted reality of Lake Kivu, weaving together stories of those who live and work along its shores, forming a complex web of dependence, exploitation, and respect that links people to their natural environment.

 

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Aubin Mukoni
About the photographer

Aubin Mukoni (b. 2000) is a photographer and videographer currently based in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo. He uses photography as a medium to facilitate communication and awareness, and to promote peace and reconciliation.  Through his collaboration with international organizations and renowned news a...

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Jury comment

This project offers a window into the economic and cultural significance of Lake Kivu amid heightened tensions between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The jury appreciated the photographer's approach to capturing daily life and the lake’s role in both sustenance and economic survival —serving as a vital fishery, a food source, and one of the most significant methane gas reserves. By highlighting different angles of the geopolitical and environmental tensions the photographer adds depth to the broader narrative, reminding viewers of the persistent and far-reaching impacts of regional instability and environmental degradation.