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AAn 18-year-old woman is at the intersection of two gray relief-free brick walls in Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. We can not see his face, concealed by his left hand, but his right arm and neck are exposed and the burns on his skin are clearly visible. One night, several years ago, the woman named Blandini, who lives in the streets of Goma with her two young children, was attacked by four men who raped her in turn. Then they sprinkled her with gasoline and lit her – "like a candle," she recalls.
In Blandini's portrait, directed by Italian documentary photographer Alessandro Grbadani, she wears a pair of red quilted gloves. After the attack, in order to prevent such events from happening again, Blandini started boxing. She joined an unregistered club, led by a former DRC boxing champion, nicknamed Kibomango, and embarked on training.
Nadine, 17, at the daily training of the friendship boxing club in a former football stadium. She says: "I live in the streets of the city and I have two children aged five and three. Since I started boxing, I feel safer and if someone approached my kids, I would know how to defend myself. Many of my friends have been raped and I do not want to end the same way. »Photography: Alessandro Grbadani
"In a patriarchal society like Congo, it is very difficult for women to oppose," says Grbadani. "It's a men's sport." But Blandini is part of a growing group of women in Goma for whom boxing has become a lifesaver, not just a form of self-defense in a country where badual violence is rampant but also a source of camaraderie, purpose and hope for the future.
Grbadani, who lives in Milan, heard about the Friendship Boxing Club before his trip to the DRC last May. He had been commissioned to take pictures for a Goma-based NGO that runs hospitals in the area, but Grbadani was looking for other stories to explore during his visit. Getting in touch with Kibomango, who trained free of charge former child soldiers and homeless, he asked if there were any women in his club. "He told me," Yes, there are also women here. ""
It is not surprising that women in Goma want to learn how to box. In 2010, Margot Wallström, United Nations Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict, described the DRC as the "rape capital of the world", after 15 or so civil unrest in which badual violence was commonly used as a weapon of war .
Ester, 18, said, "In my neighborhood, I saw friends forced to have bad or touched by their will. Whether I box or not, sooner or later, someone will eventually want to hurt me. At least I'll be ready to react. »Photo: Alessandro Grbadani
It is impossible to obtain accurate figures, but the UN estimates that more than 200,000 Congolese women are survivors of rape. The problem is particularly acute in the east of the country.
"Some of the women I met in Goma suffered extreme violence," says Grbadani. "Living in the street, they have to change where they sleep every night so they can not be found by violent gangs who will rape them." In this dramatic situation, boxing offered a measure of security. "Now that they're training, they're fit, they can run faster, they're not scared," says Grbadani. "Of course, they will fight."
The Friendship Boxing Club meets every morning on weekdays from 6am to 8am at the Volcano Football Stadium in Goma, near the place where his trainer works as a mechanic. Former child soldier who lost an eye in the explosion of a bomb, Kibomango (born Balezi Bagunda) has a formidable appearance – Grbadani describes him as "Rocky Balboa of Congo" – who hides his sweetness.
Elysee, 16, said: "I have been practicing boxing for two years. it's something that gives me strength and courage to defend myself. In this city, there is so much violence that you must always be ready to react. Thanks to boxing, I feel ready to face these dangers. »Photo: Alessandro Grbadani
"He is very kind to the children and the women he trains," says Grbadani. He would say to them: "Everyone here is friends, no matter if you are a child soldier, if you live on the street, if you have been raped … we are all friends. "
For women in formation at Friendship, the main motivation was self-defense. In another club in the city visited by Grbadani, the girls' club exclusively composed of Radi Star women, the ambitions of its members were beyond mere survival: they wanted to compete and win. "I do not know much about boxing," says Grbadani, "but when you see someone running, fighting and punching like they did – wow, they are very strong, very aggressive. "
A woman abandoned by her family told the photographer that she wanted to travel to the United States to become a champion like Muhammad Ali, and then return to the DRC to open an orphanage for other abandoned children who needed help. # 39; s help.
Blandini, 18, said, "I was kicked out of my family by my mother's second husband and found myself on the street. To make a living, I do not do a lot of work for people, although my biggest concern is to defend myself. That's why I practice boxing. My husband left me when my second child was born, leaving me completely unprotected. Once, I was covered with gasoline by a group of men and lit up. The scars on my neck and arm are the memory of that night. 'Photography: Alessandro Grbadani
Grbadani left Goma deeply impressed by the resistance of the boxers and the generosity of their ambitions. His admiration was shared by the judges of the Sony World Photography Awards, who selected the Boxing Against Violence series in this year's sports category. The winners will be announced on April 17th.
Grbadani, who is currently working on a long-term project on environmental migration and border walls, is delighted with the candidacy and extra attention she will bring to her subjects.
"The most important thing for me was not to portray these women as victims of something, but as the leaders of their destiny," says Grbadani. "They are able to do everything. The courage and strength of these women in the face of very serious violence was simply incredible. "
The Sony World Photography Awards will be held at Somerset House, London WC2, from April 18th to May 6th.
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