Le Journal de la Photographie

Gwenn Dubourthoumieu View of Kinshasa downtown, where thousand of children accused of witchcraft lives in streets, getting by thanks to petty theft, little jobs or prostitution © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Maman Judith is charging a fee of US10$ to reveal the presence of child witches in your family. Every Thursday, tens of families are queuing up, tickets in hands, to listen to her revelations © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Gwenn Dubourthoumieu A women in a traditional Congolese spiritual community, in a state of trance, is revealing the presence of child witches in the assembly © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Gwenn Dubourthoumieu A child witch is exorcised in a traditional Congolese spirital community in Kinshasa. The faith in witchcraft is profoundly rooted in the Congolese culture © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Gwenn Dubourthoumieu A 12 years old prostitute cries in a medical center in Kinshasa after she was stoned by an other child prostitute. Child prostitutes earn about 2000 Congolese francs (US$ 2,2) for a sexual intercourse © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Gwenn Dubourthoumieu A child witch is exorcised in a church in Kinshasa © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Child gang prowling around the streets of Kinshasa © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Gwenn Dubourthoumieu A pastor exorcises child witches in a church in Kinshasa © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Gwenn Dubourthoumieu The little "Michael" practices his imitation of Michael Jackson danse, a show he does every night to make a living © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Élysée is 12 years old and lives in a center for street children. She was left in her aunt's care after her mother died. She was then tortured with a flatiron by her aunt after a church identified her as a witch and decided to flee © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Child witches are exorcised in a church in Kinshasa. Thousands new fundamentalist Christian sects in Kinshasa make money out of identifying 'witches'. For a fee they investigate the children and confirm they are possessed. For a further fee they take the child and exorcise them, often keeping the... Gwenn Dubourthoumieu A street child lies in a medical center in Kinshasa, after he was hit by a car that escaped without providing him with any assistance. The child was brought to a medical center by a passer-by © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Gwenn Dubourthoumieu A man is exorcised in a church in Kinshasa after a child witch supposedly cursed him © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Bénie is 13 years old and was accused of witchcraft. The child witches seem to interiorize in a fantastical way the accusations made against them. So, Bénie testifies: "I was inducted by the older brother of my father at the age of 6. The witches made of me a Siren at the age of 9 because I sacri... Gwenn Dubourthoumieu A 12 years old prostitute cries in a medical center in Kinshasa after she was stoned by an other child prostitute. Child prostitutes earn about 2000 Congolese francs (US$ 2,2) for a sexual intercourse © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Junior is 18 years old. His father attempted to kill him when he was 3 years old after he was accused of witchcraft. He was then abandonned by his family and now lives in the street of Kinshasa © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Gwenn Dubourthoumieu A child living in the street of Kinshasa © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Child witches are exorcised in a church in Kinshasa © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Gwenn Dubourthoumieu A child witch is exorcised in a church in Kinshasa © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Gwenn Dubourthoumieu A child inhales glue in the street of Kinshasa © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Children sleep in an open center for street children in Kinshasa. An "open center" is a place where street children can have access to water and spend a night and find a roof when it rains. However, children are free to come and go, and the center do not provide food, medical care or education © ... Gwenn Dubourthoumieu Child witches are exorcised in a church in Kinshasa © Gwenn Dubourthoumieu