In early 2002, I travelled to Mali, in West Africa, to map two villages of the region of Ségou, Sokolo and Sibila. This mapping work was done for a Belgian consulting company, I-Mage Consult, and part of a feasibility study to upgrade the water supply system of these villages. Ten years later, in January 2013, the same villages are on the frontline between islamist militants of MUJAO and a coalition of Malian and French armies trying to restore Mali's territorial integrity. As you can see, these were the early days of my career, working with a basic SLR, a Canon 400 film camera. The printouts were scanned years later, explaining dust and scratch marks. But they're part of my story, and these memories are dear to me.
A smooth car ride in Central Mali. Ségou is located 240 kilometers East of Bamako. Once in a while, our car would come across an occasional taxi or an overloaded truck. The main ‘highway' linking the Malian capital, Bamako, to the North of the country is far from busy.
A smooth car ride in Central Mali. Ségou is located 240 kilometers East of Bamako. Once in a while, our car would come across an occasional taxi or an overloaded truck. The main ‘highway' linking the Malian capital, Bamako, to the North of the country is far from busy.