mothers and children
October 2014, Makamba Burundi
The Dutch NGO Cordaid takes me to visit a hospital in rural Burundi. In the orphanage twenty pair of eyes look at me. Each with their own harrowing story to tell. With most of these children the mother has passed away during delivery, complications which accompanied by bad knowledge, outdated medical equipment and simply by acting to late often lead to death. They lie here in the barren dormitory. Babies of all ages in one room, the dirty mattresses shared. Some a little older sisters or brothers carry babies and care for the younger ones. A single lightbulb lightens the further empty room.
Next door in the maternity room all beds al filled with mothers with their newborns. Twins receive some complementary feeding from their grandmother. The mother lies next to her with empty hollow eyes, exhausted. She was driven here over the potholed roads on the back of a motorbike. A bit further a young girl of maybe 15 years old is holding her baby, uneasy and maybe even uninterested. By ignorance girls give birth at a much to young age. Responsiblility starts early in Burundi.
Children should not become mothers, mothers should see their children grow up.
Two simple sentences which are not so natural in Burundi
In addition to my commercial photography I travel the world with my camera to tell stories and help the less fortunate.
