DRC: Aubin Mukoni’s view of Lake Kivu wins World Press Photo 2025 award
A photographic warning about a jewel in peril
Congolese photographer Aubin Mukoni was awarded a World Press Photo 2025 for his series “The Lake Has Fallen Silent ,” a visual dive into the heart of the environmental, human, and political issues surrounding Lake Kivu . Originally from Goma , Mukoni has been documenting the daily lives of those who live by the lake since 2020, while exposing the dramatic consequences of pollution and demographic pressure .
Through his photographs, he shows simple scenes of life – fishermen repairing their nets, children playing at the water’s edge, fish markets – while taking a concerned look at the decline in fish resources , particularly sambaza , these small fish so prized in the region.
A lake suffocated by urbanization
According to Mukoni, the rapidly expanding city of Goma , with more than a million inhabitants, dumps tons of waste into the lake every day, fueling increasing pollution . The influx of displaced people, a consequence of armed conflicts in eastern DRC, is increasing pressure on infrastructure. The photographer sees this as a collective emergency , a call for civic and institutional responsibility to preserve this essential ecosystem.
“The lake is falling silent. But it speaks through our silences,” he sums up.
An inherited and committed photographic approach
At just 25 years old , Mukoni already has a strong vision. The grandson of a photographer, he claims this artistic and activist heritage . Defining himself as an “advocacy agent ,” he wants to use photography as a tool for dialogue , to raise awareness and stimulate local debates on the environment and the rights of local communities.
The World Press Photo jury praised a ” powerful, sensitive and politically relevant ” work, which highlights the ecological and geopolitical issues linked to Lake Kivu, particularly in a tense context between the DRC and Rwanda .
Conclusion
By highlighting the fragility of Lake Kivu , Aubin Mukoni offers much more than a report: he sketches a visual chronicle of survival , dignity and resilience. Internationally acclaimed, his work embodies a new generation of committed African photographers , bearers of stories anchored in reality and turned towards the future. For him, this project is only the first chapter of a lasting commitment to serving his community and his environment .
