The Truth Told Project

It’s said that a picture is worth a thousand words. But sometimes it’s worth far more.

Photography gives insight into the lives and surroundings of a subject at hand, but given particular circumstances, those insights can become a force behind social change. To gain a firsthand perspective on the complexities of the region, photojournalist Sarah Fretwell traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to observe the war over resources. Once there, she came face to face with victims of the conflict. Not victims of war, but survivors of rape fueled by the war. Their stories are visualized in her latest work, The Truth Told Project.

Spending 50 days in DRC working alongside Congolese organization COPERMA and humanitarian writer Amy Ernst, Sarah collected testimonies and interviews from girls and women directly affected by the conflict in rural villages and the bush of North Kivu. At the heart of the conflict is the struggle over the abundance of mineral resources in the region. As a result, government armies and rebels continue to fight for control of mines and the mineral trade. Often leaving the issue of rape overlooked by not only conflict experts but the world.

What she found most shocking along her travels was the fact that “rape – of girls, women, mothers, and grandmothers – has moved from ‘rape as a tool of war’ to ‘rape as a way of life’ in the DRC.” Women in these regions don’t have immediate ways to defend themselves and without a stable justice system, it leaves victims and potential victims living in fear of what can happen.

In creating The Truth Told Project, Sarah gives a voice to those who would have otherwise have been left without one by transcribing their stories across their portraits. Bringing light to the issue is the beginning; giving these women a means to shift their thoughts of what they have been through is the ultimate goal. Each piece in the series presents a personal story of a women or family member, removing their past from the picture and focusing on someone who strives for a hopeful future full of normalcy.

In a multi-faceted approach, the project not only aims to draw a human connection between those in DRC with the world but it hopes to educate viewers of the mineral-based conflict and engage them with tangible ways to help bring an end to the problem. Among other goals, The Truth Told project also hopes to connect survivors with the necessary trauma care and ways for them to rebuild their lives.

– Juan Frausto

(Photo credit: Sarah Fretwell)