What does security look like to you? Voices from DRC

The banana. It's in my field. The stick supports the banana so that it doesn't fall to the ground. Although the trunk of the banana tree is thick, without this support, the banana would fall. The stick supports the banana tree. For me, security means support. If we are supported by others, we can persevere. Photo by Kalongo

It's like the stairs in a house; it gives a sense of security because you can lean on it to keep from falling. It supports people. For me, security means support and protection.
Photo by Kalongo

‘The photo shows an orange tree. Where there is insecurity, you can't even grow or harvest crops. There may be thieves, and the oranges can't reach that height, so they would have already been cut down. Fruit like this also guarantees our food security. Photo by Kalongo

In this photo, there are trees, houses, a pond,... it shows that after a conflict or war situation, new things emerge, the trees, the houses that show the reconstruction/restoration,... it shows a new era.
Photo by Viviane

I understand security as a mechanism that protects someone from any danger, violence, threats, or instability. For a tree, the branches produce shade that protects people from the sun. The roots, which sink into the ground, protect the tree from easily falling. Photo by Viviane

The sky, which is blue, symbolizes hope. When we have hope, even if there is violence, we have hope that, despite what people are going through, things will change. For me, the blue sky shows the hope that there will be safety one day. Photo by Viviane

It's a city which you can see at night. It's well illuminated. Even if I was at a distance I could see the light. The light in this photo shows that there's a lot of activity going on in the city, even though it's late at night. For me then, safety is where people are free to do their activities at any time and also where there is free movement and free investment. Photo by Didier

Here we can see in the picture there's grass, a tree with green leaves and red flowers, the flowers represent life, we can also see that it's well-kept and this shows that there's a balance between man and nature. For me, security is when we are able to protect the environment. Photo by Didier

This photo shows a two-storey house and a motorcyclist. It shows the investment of several people in various businesses, which makes me to define security as where you can invest in an income-generating activity and be sure you can do something sustainable. Photo by Didier

For me, security also means having the opportunity and the occasion to reflect on the future. Here, I was sitting down with my camera on and I couldn't see the background view, I had to zoom in. In other words, security means having time to think about the future. Photo by Joel

The image of a light bulb shows illumination, light. Light gives trust, and when you're in a lighted place at night, you feel at peace. Today, local authorities are encouraging us to put lights on at night in every house and street to ensure security. Photo by Benoit

Water from the tap. Water is life. It's difficult, if not impossible, to live without water. When you have water in the house, you feel safe. I remember when there was a water shortage in my house, I felt insecure because we use water for so many things at home. Photo by Benoit

This photo shows a well-managed environment. There are houses, statues, green spaces. It also shows what God invites us to do in Genesis 2:15, where God asks us not only to cultivate and exploit the land, but also to live on it. Photo by Louise

The chair represents tranquility. For me, security means having the place where you can sit down, where you can say to yourself I'm taking some time off. For me, security doesn't necessarily mean the absence of war, but where you can still have time to take some rest. Photo by Joel