Survivor Portraits

In 2022, 20 portraits and testimonies from survivors of the national network Mouvement des Survivant.e.s de Centrafrique (MOSUCA) and the Collectif national des victimes de Centrafrique (CNAV-CA) were captured by a local photographer in Bangui. The collective memory project aimed at breaking the silence around conflict-related sexual violence in the Central African Republic by centring survivors as authors of their own narratives. Through art as both therapy and testimony, survivors contributed not only to their own healing but also to broader advocacy efforts aimed at challenging stigma, demanding accountability, and advancing reparations.

On 11 March 2023, the portraits were exhibited in Bambari, Central African Republic. During the exhibition, each survivor stood beside her portrait and shared her testimony with the audience. These powerful moments created space for survivors to reclaim their stories while sending a clear message to other victims that they are not alone. The exhibition also called on authorities and communities to strengthen protection for women and children during times of conflict. A second exhibition was held on 16 March 2023 in Bouar. As in Bambari, survivors presented their portraits and recounted their experiences to participants, transforming the exhibition into a collective act of remembrance, solidarity, and courage.

Following their initial exhibition, the portraits were exhibited in Bangui from 29 April to 11 May 2023 at the Maison de la Mémoire, with support from the Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation. Closing on the national day for victims of conflict, the exhibition brought together survivors, local authorities, and community members for collective remembrance and dialogue. The portraits later travelled internationally as part of the SEMA Collective Memory Exhibition “We Are Speaking, Are You Listening?” in Nairobi. Across these exhibitions, the portraits function as acts of remembrance, resistance, and visibility, affirming survivors’ voices and calling for recognition, accountability, and justice.