The war-torn children living ‘on the edge of existence’

Nearly 20 years on from a conflict that killed 5million people and uprooted countless lives, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is once again sliding into chaos.

Distressing scenes are unfolding in the east where resurgent violence between non-state armed groups and government forces reverberate.

A shocking 2.8million people have been displaced across those provinces since March 2022. Among a litany of humanitarian law and human rights violations, civilians are being killed and tortured, while arbitrary arrests, looting of health centres and civilian homes, and the destruction of schools have been reported. 

Photographer Hugh Kinsella Cunningham has been covering the conflict in eastern DRC for the last five years, travelling the country to bear witness to the devastating impact of war on children’s lives.

‘As the Democratic Republic of Congo is experiencing one of the most damaging conflicts in the world, these photographs convey the realities of life for civilians on the edge of existence,’ says Hugh, who has been working with Save The Children to document the crisis.

‘Families here are suffering in many different ways. In one province, humanitarians may be reacting to a displacement crisis, and in another region, dealing with malnutrition and disease. As a photojournalist, relating the experiences and emotions of individuals within this huge context is critical.’

15-year-old Aline* lives in a displacement camp in Eastern DRC. She has a disability after an insect sting turned into an infection in her leg. She almost had to have her foot amputated and she is no longer able to walk without crutches. Her two year old brother has been treated for malnutrition. Picture: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham/Save The Children)

The DRC is facing an acute and complex humanitarian crisis. 5.7million people live in internally displaced persons camps like this one. 1.1million people are gender-based violence survivors and 4million people live with a disability – half of whom are children. Half of the population is unable to access quality health care Picture: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham/Save The Children)

In the UN’s most recent Children in Armed Conflict Report, the DRC was found to have the highest number of violations against children, which include killing, maiming and sexual violence. Greg Ramm of Save The Children says: ‘Many children growing up in the DRC are living through the toughest experiences imaginable.’ Picture: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham/Save The Children)

Violette* and her eight children live in a camp after conflict forced them to flee the village. She struggles to make ends meet and to earn money for food she sells charcoal and does odd jobs. Sometimes the family can only eat once a day – if at all. Picture: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham/Save The Children)

A shelter in a displacement camp that houses people fleeing conflict in the Ituri province of Eastern DRC. This picture was taken by Hugh Kinsella Cunningham whose images won the documentary prize at the Sony world photography awards earlier this year. Hugh says: ‘Through portraiture and images of the hardship brought on by conflict, I hope to engage new audiences with these underreported issues, as well as highlight the beauty of the land and the huge potential and resilience of local communities.’ Picture: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham/Save The Children)

11-year-old Eléa* was at school when conflict broke out in her village a couple of years ago. She fled her village and became separated from the rest of her family. Helped by another mother, she was taken to a child-friendly space supported by Save the Children and a partner organisation. She remembers: ‘I travelled for three days through forests. To eat, I took other people’s cassava from the fields and, if it got dark, I slept on the ground in the forest.’ She has since been reunited with her family. Picture: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham/Save The Children)

Paola* is a 35-year-old mother of five small children living in a village in Eastern DRC. Nearby gunshots scare her children, and life in the village is hard because there is insufficient food and money to buy basic necessities like soap. She works daily in the fields and her goal is to earn enough money to be able to feed her children at least one meal per day. Picture: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham/Save The Children)

An aerial view of a displacement camp housing people fleeing conflict in the Ituri province of Eastern DRC. An estimated 60million people in the DRC live in extreme poverty with the number of people considered poor increasing by nearly 1.5million people per year. 40million children living in the DRC suffer deprivation of health, nutrition, education, protection, housing, water, sanitation, and hygiene. Picture: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham/Save The Children)

13-year-old Mylan* pictured with his mother Aurélie, is being supported by Save The Children. Thanks to a local educational project, Mylan is able to go to school twice a day, which has vastly improved his prospects. He is now teaching his mother – who didn’t go to school as a child – what he has learned in the classroom. Picture: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham/Save The Children)

Junior*, 17, had a difficult childhood. At the age of 12 years old, he was separated from his parents and three siblings due to violence. He joined an armed group to defend his community from attacks where he was trained as a soldier before being rescued from the group by a Save the Children partner organisation. He has since received psychological support and tailoring lessons so he can make a safer living. Picture: Hugh Kinsella Cunningham/Save The Children)

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*Names have been changed

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Photographer Hugh Kinsella Cunningham has been capturing the devastating impact of war on children’s lives.