Lieutenant Rehema Rahijya doesn’t know her date of birth. She has malaria but she is not taking any drugs because in the military base there are no medicines. She was born in Nyamilima. She joined Mai Mai Shetani/FDP after some criminals attacked her family: they raped her sister and stole the animals. She doesn’t want to get married and she thinks in the future she won’t find any job because she has been a fighter. Buramba military base, Nyamilima, North Kivu, DRC
Kanieremervè Uivin and Major Francine Kanier during a patrol in the territory controlled by Mai Mai Shetani/FDP. Kanieremervè is 16 and Francine doesn’t declare her age. Both of them have been in the rebel group since 1 year. Nyamilima, North Kivu, DRC
Kanieremervè Uivin helps Major Francine Kanier to ford a river during a patrol in the territory controlled by Mai Mai Shetani/FDP. None of them finished secondary school and decided to join the rebel group after have been victim of violence. Nyamilima, North Kivu, DRC
Captain Liliane Katiwa. She does not declare her age. She was born in Nyamilina. She has joined Mai Mai Shetani/FDP "because there is no job, but life conditions are very hard". They eat the food that the population is forced to give them. Her main dream is to have a normal life and a job in Goma. Buramba military base, Nyamilima, North Kivu, DRC
Major Mathilde Samba, 31 years old. Mathilde has been in the Congolese army for 17 years. She defected in November 2012, joining M23 with her husband and sending her daughters to Kinshasa. M23 compound, Rutshuru, North Kivu, DRC
Major Francine Kanier prepare food. The food comes from the taxes that Mai Mai Shetani/FDP imposes to the local population. Buramba military base, Nyamilima, North Kivu, DRC
Major Masika’s bedroom. In the frame is the younger sister Denadine. Masika, 26, has a business and accounting degree. She has fought in the rebel group Mai Mai La Fontaine and then in M23. In October 2012 she was severely beaten by Mai Mai rebels because of her decision to join M23 and now she can’t sleep at night in her house because of the danger of a repeat attack. Kiwanja, North Kivu, DRC
Major Mathilde Samba, Major Masika and a friend share a meal. Kiwanja, North Kivu, DRC
M23 rebel group organizes a celebration and meet the local population after fighting due to the split between former joint-leaders Bosco Ntaganda and Sultani Makenga. Here, in Kibumba village (territory controlled by M23) the population is called to receive the rebels. On the left, the President of M23 Bisimwa and in the center Colonel Fanette Umuraza, right hand of General Makenga. Kibumba, North Kivu, DRC
Colonel Fanette Umuraza, 32 years old. Fanette joined M23 having previously fought in the CNDP, M23’s predecessor. She says she chose these two rebel groups because she shares their ideology. Here at a M23 press conference following fighting over internal divisions. Kibunga, North Kivu, DRC.
Major Mathilde Samba and her husband Colonel Jean-Marie Labila. Mathilde and Jean-Marie defected from the army and national police and joined M23 in November 2012. They sent their four children to Kinshasa. They live in an M23 compound with 20 other high-ranking officers. They share a kitchen and toilet while only a few of them have mattresses on which to sleep. Rutshuru, (territory controlled by rebel group M23), North Kivu, DRC
Major Mathilde Samba, 31 years old, during a M23 police show. Mathilde has been in the Congolese army for 17 years. She defected in November 2012, joining M23 with her husband and sending her daughters to Kinshasa. Rutshuru, North Kivu, DRC
Major Mathilde Samba walks through the village of Rutshuru, controlled by M23 rebel militia. North Kivu, DRC
Lieutenant Marimakile Kiakimuakisubua is training with her comrades. She does not declare her age. She studied until the second year of the secondary school. The main reason of her decision to join Mai Mai Shetani/FDP has been an attack from FDLR: they raped her mother and sister, she managed to escape. A week later she left school and joined the rebel group. Buramba military base, Nyamilima, North Kivu, DRC
M23 rebel group meet the local population after fighting due to the split between former joint-leaders Bosco Ntaganda and Sultani Makenga. Here, in Kibumba village (territory controlled by M23) the population is called to receive the rebels. After the leader speech, it starts a heavy rain and while everybody try to find shelter, a group of women start a cathartic dance. Kibumba, North Kivu, DRC
M23 rebel group meet the local population after fighting due to the split between former joint-leaders Bosco Ntaganda and Sultani Makenga. Here, in Kibumba village (territory controlled by M23) the population is called to receive the rebels. Kibumba, North Kivu, DRC
A Congolese army road barrier that is supposed to protect Goma from M23 attacks. Goma, North Kivu, DRC