The pictures show the life in the community of Duport Waterside and the nearby mangrove swamp in Monrovia, Liberia. Duport (Port on the river Du) is considered the oldest harbor in Liberia from where goods were distributed up country and into Monrovia, but this is no longer the case as roads have improved. I have visited the community many times and got an insight in their lives. The community is strongly linked to in the mangrove swamp, where they make a living fishing or catching crawfish. They collect the wood and sell it as charcoal and make bamboo-mats. Despite using primitive techniques to catch fish and simplest canoes, modern technology is present and people are using cell-phones, even in the middle of the swamp. At one point the chief (see picture) visited me to discuss his concerns about the behavior of one of the community-members I knew and requested my assistance. This community is also known for a mass grave with several hundred victims of the brutal Civil War. The mass grave is not visible as such and located in the middle of the community. It is an integral part of their daily life, which is now peaceful.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ronaldstilting/sets/72157632450279107/
