Resilience
This is a long term project, a result of a journey, which started in South East Asian countries: Laos,Vietnam Cambodia and Myanmar. Between August 2019 to March 2020,I crossed 4 borders and I arrived in Myanmar, my last destination, due to the onset of pandemic.
I was fascinated by the imbalances typical of South East Asian countries, to tell what somehow exist but is always out of the spotlights, given that mostly, there is a tendency of pointing on touristic attractions, leaving aside all the rest. A personal research of resilience, as concept, has begun with the use of photography. It is a slow and unconventional journey, as well as a search of details and peculiarities, of an hidden childhood and its bond that breaks.
Resilience is also defence and resistance, against coercion. Poverty, corruption, deprivation, totalitarian military regimes, undermine the individual freedom and rights. This is having today, a negative and long lasting impact, on the most vulnerable, due to gender stigma.
Child sexual and labour exploitation, is a very controversial topic in South Asian countries. Furthermore, the ongoing Chinese control and imperialism, which do not support the people’s welfare, is triggering inequalities, gender differences and human rights violations. This is also a diary, which became part of an editorial and anthropological project, as well as an opportunity, to preserve the memory.
Chang’aa
The recycling of materials in Kenya, has become the way to survive for many vulnerable children. This phenomenon is widespread, because of exodus from the countryside, to urban centres.
Landfills tells sad stories and are not only a place to get something to live on. Poverty and HIV, become causes of high mortality rate.
Dandora is an eastern suburb in Nairobi, which was established in 1977, with partial financing by the World Banking order, to offer a higher standard of housing for medium class people. The location is known, for being the site of municipal solid waste dump, which has negative and long lasting effects on its population.
In this area, many children have ended up on the street, due to abandonment or extreme poverty at home. Many of those, abuse solvents to cope with their life challenges.
Changaa, which in Swahili language literally means “kill me quickly” has more poisonous compounds, including jet fuel and embalming fluid, which are commonly used, to speed up the fermentation process. Despite the production and sell is strictly prohibit by the government law, it is a source of livelihood for many individuals.
The chronic consumption of this substance, causes physical, psychological, emotional and mental health complications.The project was completed in 2010 with the support of the Ngo Dadreg.
