Bizi poses in Goma as members of the M23 rebel group appear in the background, a day after the group captured the city, the capital of North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on January 29, 2025.
About Jean Bizimana | Documentary Photographer | Photojournalist & Visual Storyteller in Rwanda
Jean Bizimana (Bizi) is a Rwanda-based documentary photographer, photojournalist, and cinematographer specializing in human rights, social justice, humanitarian response, and cultural identity. With over a decade of experience, he has documented stories across Africa, Europe, and the United States, collaborating with international media outlets, NGOs, and film organizations.
Bizi’s photography journey began at age eight through Through the Eyes of Children: The Rwanda Project, shaping his commitment to ethical storytelling and empowering communities to share their own stories.
Since then, he has captured compelling images and films in Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, Haiti, Nepal, France, Germany, and the United States.
As a freelance photojournalist with Reuters News Agency, Bizi has worked with organizations including Save the Children International, Random Good Films, and other humanitarian and development partners. His work highlights the resilience of communities affected by conflict, inequality, and social challenges while promoting awareness and accountability.
Bizi’s a fellow of the Magnum Foundation Photography and Social Justice Program and a graduate of VII Academy. He has received advanced training in hostile-environment reporting, emergency first aid, and peace practice, enabling him to work safely and responsibly in sensitive contexts.
Beyond his documentary work, Bizi is dedicated to education and mentorship. As a project coordinator and photography instructor with Through the Eyes of Children, he trains young people in Rwanda, Nepal, Haiti and the US to tell their own stories through photography.
Bizi’s work seeks not only to capture images but to foster dialogue, empathy, and positive social change.
Bizi also collaborates with organizations such as Kids Operating Room, Getty Images, the Gates Foundation, and LemonAid & ChariTea Foundation, and contribute to platforms like Taking Pictures Changing Lives, GG Images and Fair Picture. My work spans Rwanda, East Africa, and beyond, amplifying overlooked voices and highlighting social issues through visual storytelling—photography, video, and multimedia.
Every project I take on is a chance to create empathy and connection, to let audiences see, feel, and understand. Through my camera, I strive to tell the stories that matter, one frame at a time.Through my lens, I strive to foster empathy, understanding, and connection across cultures.
Please get in touch to explore collaboration opportunities.
"Our differences will live with us till the end of time, but they shouldn't be the source of strife and stigma."