Christopher Farber

Photography: I'm Not Where I'm Supposed To Be

Survival in northwestern Central African Republic is not easy or simple, even in peaceful times. However, fleeing to the bush adds an overwhelming number of obstacles. Bore holes that pump water are no longer accessible. Herds of live stock may have been killed, stolen, or simply starve to death without grazing land. Cultivated land is lost, and farming must begin again in forested areas. Sorghum grain, provided by the World Food Program, is pounded into flour, and cooked into a porridge.In spring 2007, a military wing of the army of the Central African Republic, known as the Presidential Guard, torched and destroyed the homes of tens of thousands of people, forcing them deep into the bush, where they live today and are afraid of further aggression if they return. Paoua, in northwestern Central African Republic, is a remote region of one of Africa's poorest countries. Close to the Chadian border, the region around Paoua is an active rebel territory. In an effort to destabilize the rebel foundation, government forces turned on the civilian population.
Survival in northwestern Central African Republic is not easy or simple, even in peaceful times. However, fleeing to the bush adds an overwhelming number of obstacles. Bore holes that pump water are no longer accessible. Herds of live stock may have been killed, stolen, or simply starve to death without grazing land. Cultivated land is lost, and farming must begin again in forested areas. Sorghum grain, provided by the World Food Program, is pounded into flour, and cooked into a porridge.

In spring 2007, a military wing of the army of the Central African Republic, known as the Presidential Guard, torched and destroyed the homes of tens of thousands of people, forcing them deep into the bush, where they live today and are afraid of further aggression if they return. Paoua, in northwestern Central African Republic, is a remote region of one of Africa's poorest countries. Close to the Chadian border, the region around Paoua is an active rebel territory. In an effort to destabilize the rebel foundation, government forces turned on the civilian population.