This is a series of portraits resulting from the "Women of the Dump" project, which tells the story of women and their families who survive thanks to the largest landfills in the city of Bujumbura. Most are either widowed or abandoned by their husbands. They earn their living by collecting charcoal, bones, plastic bottles, basins,plastic seals, and scrap metal, which they resell and manage to earn around 2000 Fbu per day, or about $1 per day. On the other hand, they feed directly from the landfill (if they are lucky, of course). They are queens. Strong in their tenacity in the face of adversity, they survive the ups and downs of everyday life on their own and manage, for better or worse, to take care of their children andtheir families. Managing to live on nothing is a miracle, and women in the dump do it every day. These are queens who are asleep at the moment.
Sleeping Queens
Series, 2nd place
Renilde Mbanzendorere
Aged 47, she is one of the women who survive thanks to the Buterere dump in Bujumbura. Her husband is also part of the collectors at the dump. She is a mother of seven children, and her biggest wish is to get out of the dump and to be able to earn a living in a different way.
Aged 47, she is one of the women who survive thanks to the Buterere dump in Bujumbura. Her husband is also part of the collectors at the dump. She is a mother of seven children, and her biggest wish is to get out of the dump and to be able to earn a living in a different way.
Aline Ngendakumana
A 50-year-old single woman, mother of seven children. Resident of the Buterere zone in the urban community of Ntahangwa, northwest of the city of Bujumbura. Her husband left her for someone else a few years ago and took all their possessions with him (goats, cows, etc.), which allowed him to live with dignity. Then she lost her house to the floods that Bujumbura suffered recently. Fortunately, four of her children were already married, and she sent two more to her parents in the village and stayed with her youngest. Today, she survives thanks to the largest dump in Bujumbura.
A 50-year-old single woman, mother of seven children. Resident of the Buterere zone in the urban community of Ntahangwa, northwest of the city of Bujumbura. Her husband left her for someone else a few years ago and took all their possessions with him (goats, cows, etc.), which allowed him to live with dignity. Then she lost her house to the floods that Bujumbura suffered recently. Fortunately, four of her children were already married, and she sent two more to her parents in the village and stayed with her youngest. Today, she survives thanks to the largest dump in Bujumbura.
Ciza Domitile
A 70-year-old woman, a wife and mother, she is one of the women who survive thanks to the Kinyankonge landfill in Buterere in the northwest of Bujumbura. Her husband also rummages at the dump. They had four children and all of them got married. She has been collecting enough to survive at this dump since 1972.
A 70-year-old woman, a wife and mother, she is one of the women who survive thanks to the Kinyankonge landfill in Buterere in the northwest of Bujumbura. Her husband also rummages at the dump. They had four children and all of them got married. She has been collecting enough to survive at this dump since 1972.
Maria Siniremera
A 73-year-old woman who, the day I met her, had just lost her husband and her son. But despite all this, she came to the dump."Where do you think I will find my food?" she asked me. She was very sad.
A 73-year-old woman who, the day I met her, had just lost her husband and her son. But despite all this, she came to the dump."Where do you think I will find my food?" she asked me. She was very sad.
Yvette Niyongabire
A 31 year-old, she is a young single mother of five children, the oldest of whom is 11 years old and the youngest is 3 years old. She was abandoned by her husband. She lives today with her children in a house under construction whose owner gave them permission to stay there because he took pity on them. She manages to feed her children thanks to the dump.
A 31 year-old, she is a young single mother of five children, the oldest of whom is 11 years old and the youngest is 3 years old. She was abandoned by her husband. She lives today with her children in a house under construction whose owner gave them permission to stay there because he took pity on them. She manages to feed her children thanks to the dump.
Mediatrice Niyibitanga
Aged 37, she is a widow and a mother of four children. She comes to the dump to be able to feed her children. "It's not easy but I have no other choice," she told me.
Aged 37, she is a widow and a mother of four children. She comes to the dump to be able to feed her children. "It's not easy but I have no other choice," she told me.
Elisabeth Nyandwi
Aged 65, she lives alone with her husband, who also collects at the dump.
Aged 65, she lives alone with her husband, who also collects at the dump.
Adeline Mushimiyimana
23 years old, Adeline is one of the women of the dump, married, a mother of three children. Her husband also collects at the dump.
23 years old, Adeline is one of the women of the dump, married, a mother of three children. Her husband also collects at the dump.
Chantal Miburo
A 26-year-old single mother, Chantal is one of the women who survive thanks to the Kinyankonge landfill in Buterere in the northwest of Bujumbura. She was a mother of three children (a 2-year-old child and newborn twins), but recently one of the twins died due to illnesses and the other is suffering from poor health too. She raises her children alone because their father does not want them.
A 26-year-old single mother, Chantal is one of the women who survive thanks to the Kinyankonge landfill in Buterere in the northwest of Bujumbura. She was a mother of three children (a 2-year-old child and newborn twins), but recently one of the twins died due to illnesses and the other is suffering from poor health too. She raises her children alone because their father does not want them.
Emmanueline Ndimurwanko
Aged 45, she had nine children from her first husband, who left her for another woman. Then she committed to the man she lives with today, and they had a child together. Four of her ten children have died. She manages to feed her family thanks to the dump. Her new husband helps her at the dump.
Aged 45, she had nine children from her first husband, who left her for another woman. Then she committed to the man she lives with today, and they had a child together. Four of her ten children have died. She manages to feed her family thanks to the dump. Her new husband helps her at the dump.
Daphrose Habimana
A 35-year-old woman, wife and mother, she is one of the women who survive thanks to the Kinyankonge landfill in Buterere in the northwest of Bujumbura. Her husband repairs plastic household utensils. Between them, they barely manage to find enough to survive. They had eight children together but only four of them survived. They entrusted two of the four surviving children to their extended family because they could not afford to send them to school. Every day is an endless struggle to survive, she told me.
A 35-year-old woman, wife and mother, she is one of the women who survive thanks to the Kinyankonge landfill in Buterere in the northwest of Bujumbura. Her husband repairs plastic household utensils. Between them, they barely manage to find enough to survive. They had eight children together but only four of them survived. They entrusted two of the four surviving children to their extended family because they could not afford to send them to school. Every day is an endless struggle to survive, she told me.
Shurwe
Only 16 years old, she is a young woman who was impregnated by an older man. She was expelled from school because she was pregnant. Today, in order to provide for her child, she has to collect rubbish at the dump.
Only 16 years old, she is a young woman who was impregnated by an older man. She was expelled from school because she was pregnant. Today, in order to provide for her child, she has to collect rubbish at the dump.