Photographer Page

Hugh Francis Anderson

Francine blows a kiss to the audience at the fashion show in Bukavu.

Two signs, one (top) a warning to potential offenders – (the text reads 'if you rape, you lose respect for your birth mother – we oppose rape'). Another is a statement of hope for survivors inside City of Joy.

A gardener tends the grounds in City of Joy. Surrounded by barbed wire and security, the complex has become a sanctuary for those who live and work there.

“Everything begins with self-esteem and love.” Designer Gabriela Sanchez y Sanchez de la Barquera first visited City of Joy in 2019.

This catwalk show in Bukavu is more than merely a showcase of fashion. The models are survivors of atrocity in one of the most violent countries in the world; their involvement in this show is a reclamation of their womanhood, and a key part of their rehabilitation.

"The black steel gates open with a screech and then there’s peace.”

A sign displays the face of Dr Denis Mukwege above the streets of Bukavu. Founder of the Panzi hospital for victims of sexual violence in the DRC, Mukwege was jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2018, with Nadia Murad.

“As a human being and a mother, you are never prepared to witness the atrocities that I did.” Christine Shuler Deschryver, who with American playwright Eve Esner founded City of Joy.