Les Routes de l'impossible

Congo River, on the brink of sinking

The Democratic Republic of Congo is a vast territory, whose equatorial forest has long since engulfed the roads connecting Kinshasa to the north of the country. In this context, the Congo River and its 1,750 kilometers have become an essential backbone, despite the dangers: raging currents, sandbanks, and submerged rocks. The Ondika, a sturdy tugboat, tows three large barges with nearly 800 passengers on board. Aboard this floating shantytown, people sell, buy, and barter. Fishermen dock in canoes to offer fish in exchange for batteries, clothing, or tools. The river thus becomes a vital link for the riverside villages cut off from the rest of the world.