River of Life

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, there are no longer any roads leading from the capital Kinshasa to Kisangani, the capital in the north. Lack of maintenance and encroaching forests have gradually caused them to disappear. To transport goods or travel between the two cities, Congolese have only two options: a plane for the wealthier,or a boat for the poorest, a grueling 2,000-kilometer journey along the Congo River, one of Africa's largest rivers. This ship resembles a real floating village. Travelers who cannot afford drinking water do not hesitate to drink water from the river. The ship is not equipped with any modern navigational instruments, no radar, or depth sounder. The captain must navigate by sight, day and night. The boats are overloaded, and every year several hundred people die on this river.