Lessons given by children in South Sudan always put things in their place.
Charged batteries, empty memory cards, clean camera and lenses, notebook and pen, bottle of water, a hat… All ready for a new day in South Sudan. Today I’m working for UNICEF, the UN agency that protects children rights around the world. We are going to report on hunger and malnutrition that many families suffer in this country, so that the international community becomes more aware and helps with more money. The cause is legitimate enough to allow me to work with some pride. We arrive in a house where women and children smile. Photographs come out easily because there is honesty and sincerity in that house. Children express their feelings openly. Like the smile of one of the girls who comes to me with open arms. I feel beloved. “Nice!”, I think when I understand that the girl, in her own way, comes to thank me for the work I’ve been doing for years. I interpret the girl honours photography as a tool for awareness. The girl reaches my legs, grabs the pants and, keeping her smile, looks up to me and literally says: “White man, you came to bring us food, right?”.
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