honorable mention
Mauro De Bettio italy
Photo © Mauro De Bettio
title
MALAIKA
An environment often fraught with constant and sustained danger in various forms such as fear, harassment, violence among themselves and towards others, drug taking and trafficking, sexual exploitation with a high risk of contracting STI and HIV/AIDS, starvation and poor hygienic and sanitation conditions.
Besides the lack of shelter, sanitation, and nutrition, these children, particularly in Nairobi, are substance abusers. Sniffing glue is an escape from poverty, homelessness, violence and abuse on the streets. Sniffing glue helps them to suppress their hunger, simply because glue is cheaper than food. Some children said they use glue and other drugs to heighten their senses to alert them of possible violence, facilitate sleep during the cold nights, or to numb their physical or emotional pain.
Many of the children claim that their parents are either deceased or have abandoned them. The street, then, is their only chance to earn money and search for food.
Driven by passion and guided by an unwavering commitment to telling the stories of those who often go unheard, Mauro’s journey has taken him to places of breathtaking beauty, raw reality, and intense emotion.
Among his most significant works are his powerful documentation of acid attack survivors in Bangladesh, the brutal reality inside Manila’s prisons, the stark contrasts of life in Afghanistan, the dreams of ballerinas in Africa's largest slum, the struggles of sex workers in Asia’s biggest slum.
His work is a dedication to giving voice to the voiceless and an unwavering commitment to showcasing the beauty and suffering of our shared existence.
In 2021, Mauro De Bettio founded the Malaika Foundation, driven by his deep desire to give back to the communities that inspired his work. The foundation aims to support food, healthcare, and create opportunities for brighter futures.
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entry description
It's estimated that there are 250,000- 300,000 children living and working on the streets across Kenya with more than 60,000 of them only in Nairobi without shelter and assurance of having food every day Nairobi’s Street Children: Hope for Kenya’s future generation.An environment often fraught with constant and sustained danger in various forms such as fear, harassment, violence among themselves and towards others, drug taking and trafficking, sexual exploitation with a high risk of contracting STI and HIV/AIDS, starvation and poor hygienic and sanitation conditions.
Besides the lack of shelter, sanitation, and nutrition, these children, particularly in Nairobi, are substance abusers. Sniffing glue is an escape from poverty, homelessness, violence and abuse on the streets. Sniffing glue helps them to suppress their hunger, simply because glue is cheaper than food. Some children said they use glue and other drugs to heighten their senses to alert them of possible violence, facilitate sleep during the cold nights, or to numb their physical or emotional pain.
Many of the children claim that their parents are either deceased or have abandoned them. The street, then, is their only chance to earn money and search for food.
about the photographer
Mauro De Bettio is an internationally recognized photographer and storyteller whose work captures the heart and soul of some of the most remote and complex corners of the world.Driven by passion and guided by an unwavering commitment to telling the stories of those who often go unheard, Mauro’s journey has taken him to places of breathtaking beauty, raw reality, and intense emotion.
Among his most significant works are his powerful documentation of acid attack survivors in Bangladesh, the brutal reality inside Manila’s prisons, the stark contrasts of life in Afghanistan, the dreams of ballerinas in Africa's largest slum, the struggles of sex workers in Asia’s biggest slum.
His work is a dedication to giving voice to the voiceless and an unwavering commitment to showcasing the beauty and suffering of our shared existence.
In 2021, Mauro De Bettio founded the Malaika Foundation, driven by his deep desire to give back to the communities that inspired his work. The foundation aims to support food, healthcare, and create opportunities for brighter futures.
back to gallery
