words by HANNAH WENNERSTRÖM

Suzanne starts to drum on the garage door behind her. With a firm hand, she slams in a beat that makes the rest of the crew move. She calls out to everyone on the set like a cheerleader: “R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me, R-E-S-P-E-C-T!”. The crew is now dancing to their own cover of Aretha Franklin.

We wanted to do a shoot highlighting individuals with roots from the Democratic Republic of Congo. We know a group of inspirational, strong characters living in Stockholm, all with connections to DRC. Everyone has had different paths in life; one is a doctor, another a dancer, and one you could find on-stage in Stockholm doing stand-up. What they have in common is that they push each other to be the best versions of themselves. The energy that came with this group of people was inevitable and infectious, and we wanted to know more.

The theme of the shoot was futuristic, using African brands mixed with secondhand pieces. We chose futuristic as a way to reflect on what could have been the present or the future, in this case, DRC’s. The decisions and forces that have shaped the DRC do not have a fixed form. What is understood as normalized today could have been different if the world moved in another direction. We were playing with this idea; is the present the only possible reality?

Congo is rich in resources and is a significant factor in the world’s production of cobalt, copper, diamond, tantalum, tin, and gold. The most debated mineral is cobalt. Walk into any high-end phone store and look at the phones with their slick surface, cool lines, and spotless screens. It’s a far cry from the toxic dust that children inhale as they mine the cobalt that powers the batteries we rely on for our phones and other portable electronics. Unfortunately, to be a country on the African continent and rich in resources comes at a high price. Western and Asian countries bring corruption. The DRC pays the price in ruthless conflicts and killings over minerals, child labor, and systematic oppression over its citizens. The DRC could be one of the wealthiest countries on earth, but the rest of the world is exploiting it.

We had the chance to speak to Suzanne Kabwe and Armel Bahati Bwende about their visions and ideas of life and the DRC on set. Suzanne Kabwe is a dancer, and Armel Bahati Bwende is a doctor practicing here in Stockholm. Both are fighting for the DRC’s future in different ways.

What positive forces do you see in Congo today?

Suzanne – Creatives, music, dance, fashion, art, science, technical development, the list is long… I could go on and on… I see many positive forces in Congo today. I see creativity in the way that people are building up their societies. They don’t have any government support, so it takes a smart and creative mind to build communities from nothing.

Armel – I see the younger generation, which is the only positive thing that I can see. People living abroad are willing to go back and influence the country. For me, this is important for DRC’s future, but at the same time, you need to understand that there needs to be a balance because I, who grew up in Stockholm, might not understand the rules there. It’s a complicated process.

Could you see yourself moving to DRC?

A – Yes. I could. I want to. But I don’t know when. I want to spend money and make money there.

S – The same for me, but with one foot in Europe.

What opposing forces do you see in Congo?

A – If the youth is a positive force, then the opposing force is the old structures. It pisses me off!

S – [The problem] is that the government is going against their own people. And that’s why people can’t develop their societies faster and have normal lives. It makes it hard to have any form of self-development as a human being.

What would an ideal Congo be for you?

S – An ideal Congo would be a Congo with fundamental human rights, jobs, food, and education. This should be provided. A country to enjoy as any other country. A country that can invite other people to enjoy this beautiful place on Earth

A – Haha! Wow! Can I dream? Then Wakanda is nothing compared to what I’m thinking. Interests drive development. And if the people in DRC would have control over their resources, the story would have looked different. The world would probably be further ahead, technically, than it is today.

 What does hope symbolize to you?  

A – Hope for Congo? Hope is there. Hope equals human. It’s the strength that keeps us moving.

S – Life without fear, a light future, hope for a bright future. To be able to visualize the future.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

Armel – Have the ability to show people their potential future. Meaning, you show them their future scenario. The future can be divided into different paradoxes, so you show them all of them. I want to help them to vision their future and to see their full potential.

Suzanne – That I could bring peace, to heal. To give people living on the earth, the necessary things in life like food, shelter, and comfort. Everybody deserves a happy and lovable life.

Daniella: A peacemaker would be my superpower. I am tired of seeing people being used and manipulated.

Vanessa – Wonder Woman. Wonder Woman travels the world to teach others about empathy and tolerance. Her overarching goal is to aid a humanity destined to destroy itself. Wonder Woman’s true super power is her empathy. I think we can all agree that our current world desperately needs this kind of heroism.

Israel – The ability to time travel. I want to be able to relive all the old experiences, relive how things used to be and refresh my memories anew. This refers to my family, my country and everything else before things changed in my country.

photography SARAH LÖNN @sarahlonnphotography
styling HANNAH WENNERSTRÖM @hannahbwennerstrom
makeup SANDY ALHALI @sandy.hmua
makeup assistant LIV PARKÅS @liv_parkas
layout ASIA REYNOLDS @reydesignco

MODELS (left to right)

Suzanne Kabwe @suzkaleza
dress & skirt HUMANA SECOND HAND @humanasecondhand.se
shoes BEBO @lovebeboofficial
glasses STYLIST’S OWN
bikini top THE LABEL (Ghana) @thelabelgh

Israel Tshibangu @israelization
shirt TONGORO (Senegal) @tongorostudio
pants & scarf MYRORNA @myrorna
glasses ACNE
shoes ANDRA VARVET

Furaha Daniella Bwende @furahahaha
jumper, dress & boots HUMANA SECOND HAND

Vanessa Shiiny @vanessashiiny
coat dress BEYOND RETRO @beyondretroswe
shoes HUMANA SECOND HAND (Prada)
jewellery STYLIST’S OWN

Armel Bahati Bwende @mansabahati
leather jacket MYRORNA
pants TONGORO (Senegal)
boots HUMANA SECOND HAND