This Pygmy family lived in harmony with nature in the forest of Virunga Park, a protected area that is home to rich biodiversity and the famous mountain gorillas. One day, the ADF/NALU armed group, which fights against the Congolese government, attacked the village of the Pygmies, burning their huts, killing some of the inhabitants and kidnapping others to use as food or slaves. The family managed to flee into the forest, avoiding landmines and traps left by rebels and poachers but found themselves without food, water, shelter and protection. The family thus reached a shelter built by NRC, but the journey was long and dangerous. Along the way, the Pygmies met other members of their group who suffered the same fate and joined them. The photo shoot shows the difficulties, suffering, but also the hope and resilience of the Pygmy family, which tries to survive and keep its culture and identity alive in a hostile and violent context. The photo shoot aims to raise public awareness of the plight of the Pygmies, a discriminated and persecuted ethnic minority, which risks disappearing due to armed conflicts and the destruction of the forest.
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