Kisangani in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was a thriving community years ago. Its isolation in many respects since had suppressed its further or redevelopment as a central Africa hub port and religious centre. The University of Kisangani had started out as a Christian institution. Congo River Mission shares an office in Kisangani.
Kisangani, Democratic Republic of Congo – September 5, 2013: Two Wagenia fishermen are paddling in their pirogue (dugout canoe) in middle of the rapids of Stanley Falls (Wagenia Falls) at Congo River. Since hundreds of years, these fishermen from the village of Wagenia have been fishing the rapids by building scaffolding over the rapids out of bamboo and using that scaffolding to lower wooden nets into the water along the rapids. The nets have a wide mouth and then taper down to a very long, thin neck. The fish swim down the rapids and end up going into the nets and getting trapped in the neck, unable to turn around and escape. Twice a day, the men paddle into the rapids, climb up on the scaffolding and use vines to hoist these nets up and then climb down to check for their catch.
