The One Thing
Burundi: living with less than a dollar a day in one of the poorest country of the world.
According a World Bank report on global poverty, Burundi is one of the poorest country of the entire planet.
The main point of this reportage is a series of “portrait with objectâ€.
In the West having money means having purchasing power. Accumulating goods, objects, is a symbol of wealth. That which we own owns us.
What objects does someone living with less than a dollar a day own?
Residents of Buga Village, the poorest village in the Southern region, are portrayed here with the only object they own.
Photo_01: Domitile Bankuwunguka’s water tank
Cost of purchase: free.
Why she chose it:
“Everyday I carry it with me to go get water on the Maragazi river. And you know it is quite a way, it takes me two hours to walk eight kilometers, four on the way up and four on the way back. But I like it, especially when I find myself on the river shore, trading secrets with my best friend Capitolineâ€.
Photo_02: Onesim Hahinyugimana’s bicycle
Cost of purchase: 20,000 Fbu (11.29 Euro, 17.55 Dollars)
Why he chose it:
“As we say around our parts, first the bike then the woman. It is a necessary mean to move around in the hills of the Gatabo areaâ€.
Photo_03: Samuel Sabimana’s radio
Cost of purchase: 6.000 Fbu (3,38 Euro, 5,26 Dollars), radio purchased with the money earned from working in a neighbour’s field by a Burundian refugee who returned from Tanzania;
Why he chose it:
“I used to listen to other people’s radios and, since I like music and being informed on what happens in Burundi and in the rest of the World, I wanted to have one tooâ€.
Photo_04: Isidonie Nahimana’s rabbit
Cost of purchase: a gift received;
Why she chose it:
“…I hope in a few months it will become a delicious meal to go with string beans!â€.
Photo_05: Bernard Batungwana's bible
Cost of purchase: 2.500 Fbu (1,40 euro, 2,19 Dollar)
Why he chose it:
Is Evangelist, he purposely opened the holy book on his favorite verse, Salm 1;1: "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the wicked, Nor standeth in the way of sinners, Nor sitteth in the seat of scoffers". I am particularly tied to this passage because it consoles me of all the hardships. We are Burundi's damned".