“Black Water” A Story of Unintended Consequences
This is a little film close to my heart. It’s about a part of Africa I know… It’s about development programs and how they can go horribly wrong… it’s about inspired efforts to make real change, and in a very small way, it’s about wooden boats.
Its only eleven minutes long, its beautiful and its important. Make a cup of coffee, click the full screen button, turn the sound up and your ‘phone onto silent, and absorb yourself in the lives of others less fortunate than ourselves. You won’t be disappointed.
The film is made by a special organisation called Wildlife Works. This is their summary.
Deep in the heart of the Democratic Republic of the Congo lies Lake Mai Ndombe – "Lake of Black Water" – a vital lifeline for countless communities that have called its shores home for generations. This once-abundant ecosystem now faces an unprecedented crisis, as documented in the new Wildlife Works award-winning short film "Black Water."
The film, which has already won an Award of Excellence from the Best Shorts Competition and a special award from the Wildlife Conservation Festival, takes viewers on an intimate journey through the struggles and triumphs of local communities adapting against environmental challenges.
Through stunning cinematography and candid interviews, "Black Water" reveals how the lake's once-thriving fish populations have declined dramatically due to an unlikely culprit, pushing local families to the brink of starvation. The film masterfully traces this ecological crisis to its unlikely source, mosquito nets.
In the early 2000s, global NGOs distributed mosquito nets to help with malaria outbreaks. However, these fine meshed nets were instead used for fishing, leading to:
Traditional fishing knowledge being lost
Toxic chemicals from treated mosquito nets entering the food chain. One of the most common insecticides used by the mosquito net industry is permethrin, which is carcinogenic to humans and highly toxic to fish.
Nets getting tangled around and strangling the unique pneumatophore roots of mangrove trees, which unlike other tree’s roots, stick up into the air. Mangrove trees are known as “climate change warriors” because they are exceptionally effective at capturing and storing carbon dioxide, they protect coastlines from storm surges, and their maze-like root systems serve as safe zones for young fish, supporting rich biodiversity.
The story of mosquito nets in Lake Mai Ndombe shows how solutions created thousands of miles away can have unexpected consequences, and why local communities must lead conservation efforts.
Amidst the challenges that Black Water explores emerges a story of innovation and hope. The documentary showcases how these resilient communities are pioneering a remarkable solution: using carbon credit revenues from forest conservation at the Mai Ndombe REDD+ Project to establish sustainable, native fish nurseries. As of 2023, 3 farms with 25 fishponds have been established. This groundbreaking initiative serves a dual purpose – providing immediate relief to families facing food scarcity while in the long-term working to restore the lake's delicate ecological balance. To ensure no invasive species were introduced, the fishpond project began with a groundbreaking eDNA study that identified native species like Tilapia Congica and Clarias gabonensis, guiding the fishponds to focus on farming local species.
And at the risk of seeming blatently self serving, if you are interested in aid and development work, and the global refugee crisis, please consider visiting Fortyfivedownstairs Gallery in Flinders Lane, Melbourne CBD, where I will be showing a exhibition of documentary photographs made over a five-year period in the Urban Slums and Refugee Camps of East Africa.
More details by clicking the Image below.
