Photography 4 Humanity (2020)

The Last Rites

The photo captures both the human and systemic costs of COVID-19 in Delhi.

As the death toll continues to rise on a daily basis, the capital’s limited number of burial sites are becoming increasingly overwhelmed by victims of the disease, with bodies typically arriving in multiple numbers. There is added challenge as gravediggers, contractual laborers, and ambulance drivers must work in extreme heat and while wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).

Even more difficult is the seemingly endless grief, helplessness, and desperation of victims' family members. It is common to see the indignity of bulldozers digging a grave at the same time the family, forced to stand far from the burial site, is performing customary rituals, including the final namaz, or final prayer.

Faith

In March 2020, the Bangladesh government announced a series of sudden lockdowns to prevent the spread of the pandemic. Seemingly overnight, markets were being bought out and many had fled. Panic grew to such an extent that even hospitals were reluctant to care for patients. Many low-income families were completely cut-off from their basic needs.

This picture, taken in Dhaka, shows a mother trying to reduce her young daughter’s fever, as her eldest daughter recites the Quran. The girl was not allowed admission to the hospital, and the family was further isolated as their friends and neighbors left fearing they, too, might catch the virus.

Freedom in Freedom

Taken during the 2019 FIFA World Cup Qualifier at Azadi Stadium in Tehran, Iran, the photo captures the first time, since 1980, Iranian women were allowed to watch football in the same stadium as men.

This shift in rules was the result of protests that gained global attention and increased public pressure on FIFA. This was a historic moment for Iranian women and very personal for photographer, Maryam Majd, a sports photographer and long-time advocate for women’s rights. Maryam was arrested in her place of residence on 21 June, a day before a planned trip to Germany to photograph the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

COVID-19 Funeral

Cemetery officers carry the bodies of COVID-19 victims arriving from the hospital to be buried at Pondok Ranggon, one of two public cemeteries in Jakarta, Indonesia dedicated to those taken by the disease. In an effort to minimize the spread of the coronavirus, the government requires that bodies be immediately placed into graves, without being preceded by a final tribute ceremony, as is customary.

The photo underscores the tragic nature of the disease in the country, as the funerals of victims are notably reserved in contrast to traditional ceremonies because family and friends are prohibited from approaching the cemetery until after the bodies are buried.

Heroes 3

Ladi, pictured here at 16, was born in Northeast Nigeria. She was abducted by her uncle, a Boko Haram sympathizer, and twice forced to marry terror group fighters. With both having died in military base attacks, and without a husband to protect her, she was strapped with a bomb to detonate in a church. She fortunately survived and later gained her freedom.

The image depicts her incredible courage, passion, and determination to pursue her dreams and acquire an education despite her ordeal.

A Evolução das Espécies (The Evolution of Species)

Rio de Janeiro is a city of contrast, with wealth and poverty living side by side, and the pandemic has created even greater disparity. As extreme poverty continues to spread, it is resulting in a record number of people living on the streets.

A man, wrapped in a sheet, fell asleep under an engraving that represents the Evolution of the Species. The photo asks the question: have we evolved to this end? And it suggests a political and social panorama that reveals stark inequalities.

Hope To Get Well

Taken at a traditional Islamic rehabilitation facility for drug abusers in Tangerang, Indonesia, this photo tells the story of a 16-year-old addict confined to a small cell due to his aggressive behavior. According to caregivers, this is among the many side effects of using “gorilla drugs,” which contain synthetic cannabinoids.

The teenager had to drop out of school because of addiction and was sent by his family for rehabilitation. Of the estimated 4 million Indonesians struggling with drug addiction, most are teenagers. While being observed by the photographer and caregivers outside his cell, the teenager said he looks at a beam of light with the hope that he will get well soon.

Life Force: What Love Can Save

Taken during the COVID-19 pandemic in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the photo captures Jorge and his daughter, Ángeles, playing and spending time together.

Jorge was born with a congenital anomaly caused by Thalidomide, a drug once prescribed to pregnant women as an anti-nausea medication and mistakenly considered harmless. Despite reports that the drug caused thousands of babies worldwide to be born with congenital challenges, Thalidomide continued to circulate for decades without safety concerns for the patient. This was the case for Jorge.

Even at her young age, Ángeles already has a profound respect for people's differences and their ability to overcome the challenges of a physical disability.

Protest Embrace

In 2020, the killing of George Floyd in the United States sparked protests around the world, including many throughout Paris. During a protest in front of the Eiffel Tower, riot police encircled a group of peaceful protestors. Tensions rose and the force with which the police closed in became more and more violent.

In the middle of the chaos, the photo captures a moment in sharp contrast to the day’s events: a couple hugging while being surrounded by police in full riot gear. It was as if, in that single instance, nothing around them was happening – a protest embrace.

Their Home

To most people, the train station offers a means of transportation. To some, however, this train station in Chittagong, Bangladesh offers a home. They spend their days and nights on this platform.

They live off of the money they earn in exchange for carrying the luggage of railway passengers or from begging. And they sleep soundly on the platform, even when trains travel through the station.

The photo is intended to raise public awareness of the dangerous and unhealthy living conditions these disadvantaged people are living in, with the hope of getting them the help they need.