The Truth Told Project was born In December 2010, when award-winning photographer Sarah Fretwell ventured into the unknown of the war-torn mineral rich region of North Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Her time there was spent in rural villages and bush in some of the areas hardest hit by the war, corruption, and the ongoing battle for access to the mineral-rich land. She stayed there for fifty days, exploring the lives of girls, women, and men bearing the brunt of this ongoing conflict. 

 

The Congolese grassroots non-profit COPERMA hosted her. With an annual budget of only $5,000 USD, they work resourcefully and effectively to serve isolated and unserved communities. Their focus is offering resources to "girl mothers" and demobilized child soldiers and the communities who support them. Working with COPERMA offered unique access to rural villages as well as a historical and cultural context of the issues facing the DRC. 

 

The Truth Told Project amplifies the voices of the women, girls, and men of the DRC who have been silenced by the war, their government, and corruption. The project aims to reach consumers of technology through art and help them understand their personal link to this conflict and their role in helping end it. The Truth Told Project's purpose is to shed light on the realities of life in the DRC and the immense prospect the land and people hold for the future if they can just have the support of the international community. Where much of the world has written the DRC off as a conflict-ridden mess, The Truth Told seeks to share the truth that the DRC is primed for lasting change, but it cannot do so alone. 

 

This project premiered at SXSW Interactive in 2012.  Since then, it has reached millions of people worldwide, including Sarah's TEDx talk, an American Photo feature article, and PDN online.  This project includes still images, a short movie, high-level speaking events, and international gallery exhibits.