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Jan Banning wins ZEKE Award and exhibits his work at Bridge Gallery in Cambridge, MA and Photoville in NYC
Liberatha lost three of her eleven children, including twins murdered by men who attacked her house at the start of the genocide. Her entire family was also killed. After the genocide, she (in her own words) was ‘insane’ and consumed by anger for years. In a sociotherapy group, she met Alphonse Ranyemera, who served 15 years in prison. He was part of the group that killed her twins, apologized and asked for forgiveness.
@ Jan Banning
When the genocide began, Marianna fled with her family to a church where most of them were slaughtered. She and a sister survived by hiding among the bodies, and later escaped to Bisesero, where many Tutsis died after being abandoned by French peacekeeping forces. In a sociotherapy group in 2018, she encountered Marc, who killed her sister and looted their home. During therapy, she forgave him.
@ Jan Banning
Celestin Kayijuka (left) lost four of his seven children and 17 relatives in the genocide. He bears many scars and a limp from a brutal attack while fleeing. Jean Marie murdered Celestin’s father, served 10 years in prison and confessed during a gacaca trial. He later apologized personally to Celestin and his brothers, leading to reconciliation. “At parties, we now dance together,” Celestin says.
@ Jan Banning
Clever (68, right) lost his wife, three children, father, and six siblings in the 1994 genocide. Three crosses in his backyard mark the graves of his father, mother, and eldest brother. Faustin (76), who murdered Clever’s brother, served 12 years in prison and was released in 2006 after providing full disclosure during a gacaca trial. He and his accomplice later apologized to Clever in Kigali. Today, Faustin serves as the treasurer of their “self-help group.”
@ Jan Banning
Sat, May 10 - Sun, Jun 22 2025
Bridge Gallery, Cambridge & Photoville, Brooklyn
"Blood Bonds: Reconciliation in Post-Genocide Rwanda" series by Jan Banning wins ZEKE Award and is exhibited in Cambridge, MA and New York City
Jan Banning won first place in the ZEKE Award for Systemic Change category for his project Healing Wounds: Reconciliation in Post-Genocide Rwanda. The ZEKE Awards are given by the Social Documentary Network (SDN), a global community of documentary photographers, editors, curators, NGOs, students, journalists and others who believe in the power of visual storytelling to build understanding and appreciation for the complexities, nuances, wonders, and contradictions that abound in the world today.
The work will be exhibited at Bridge Gallery in Cambridge, MA, and Photoville in Brooklyn, NY.
Bridge Gallery
5 Pemberton Street
Cambridge, Mass.
May 10 – June 7, 2025
Closing reception: Wednesday, June 4, 7:00-8:30 pm
Photoville 2025
Brooklyn Bridge Park-Emily Warren Roebling Plaza
Directly under the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn, NY
June 7-22, 2025
Presentation with Jan Banning present: June 7, 1:30-3:00 pm
About Healing Wounds: Reconciliation in Post-Genocide Rwanda
Thirty years after the 1994 Rwandan genocide, remarkable partnerships have emerged: survivors reconciling with those who killed their loved ones—a profound journey toward healing.
During the genocide, 800,000 people were killed in 100 days, often by neighbors using crude weapons. Survivors bear deep scars, while perpetrators wrestle with guilt. Photographer Jan Banning and writer Dick Wittenberg spent a month meeting pairs of former enemies who reconciled, revealing stories of immense suffering and forgiveness.
Over 20% of Rwandans face trauma, with rates exceeding 50% among survivors. To address this, CBS Rwanda introduced a community-based sociotherapy program in 2005. More than 64,000 participants, supported by 1,000 trained volunteers, engage in sessions blending safety, care, and storytelling. Singing, dancing, and shared narratives foster trust and empathy.
Many perpetrators express remorse, and 80% of groups continue meeting, maintaining transformative bonds and rekindling friendships.While the scars of genocide remain, Rwanda demonstrates that even the most divided societies can begin to heal.
About Jan Banning
Jan Banning is an independent Dutch photographic artist who gained international recognition with his book and exhibition Bureaucratics (2008). A revised edition of the book will be published soon. He is also known for numerous other photo books and exhibitions, including Comfort Women, Red Utopia, and the artivist project The Verdict: The Christina Boyer Case. Banning’s work is held in the collections of several prestigious museums, including the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, and the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. His photography has also been featured in renowned media outlets such as The New Yorker, The Guardian, and GEO (Germany and France), among many others.
About the ZEKE Award for Systemic Change
In 2025, the Social Documentary Network (SDN) is partnering with the Foundation for Systemic Change for the fourth year. SDN awards one photographer the ZEKE Award for Systemic Change to recognize their outstanding visual stories documenting systemic changes leading to sustainable solutions to important issues affecting the world today.
About the Social Documentary Network (SDN)
Social Documentary Network (SDN), founded in 2008, is a global community of documentary photographers, editors, curators, NGOs, students, journalists and others who believe in the power of visual storytelling to build understanding and appreciation for the complexities, nuances, wonders, and contradictions that abound in the world today.
Since its founding, the SDN website has featured more than 4,000 exhibits by nearly 3,500 photographers from all corners of the globe. It also creates gallery exhibitions, educational programs, lecture series, award programs, portfolio reviews, and our flagship print and digital magazine founded in 2015, ZEKE: The Magazine of Global Documentary.
In 2020, SDN founded a parent nonprofit organization, Reportage International, which is now the umbrella organization set up to support the programs of both SDN and ZEKE.
About BRIDGE Gallery
BRIDGE is a photography gallery in Cambridge, Massachusetts, opened in the Fall of 2018. Started by photographer Greig Cranna, BRIDGE showcases the work of established and emerging photographers and provides a venue for speakers and photography related events.
About Photoville
Photoville is New York City’s free premier photography destination. Each year brings a special and outstanding group of artists and programming partners to curate and present free outdoor photo exhibitions across all five boroughs of NYC. With stories highlighting hope, joy, and compassion, while honoring experiences of adversity and heartbreak, Photoville aims to elevate the power of visual storytelling by fostering empathy and understanding within its communities.