A missionary holding hand of an emaciated Ugadan boy.

 

Shot by Mike Wells in April 1980, this photograph displays the hand of an emaciated, starving Ugandan child in the hand of a missionary. Wells took the photo in Karamoja district of Uganda. Later he sent the photo for publication, but remained unpublished. The publishing company, instead of publishing it, entered the photo in a competition and won a prize. Wells himself felt ashamed that he took the photograph of a starving child, and stated that he was against entering and winning competitions using pictures of hungry people in poverty.

 

This photograph is yet another drastic reminder of disparity in our world. This image of emotive visuals is of child in the drought-stricken Karamoja district, and the stark contrast between the two hands serves as a reminder of the large gap in wealth between developed and developing countries. The emotional stance and positioning in this image is not as much unethical as it is moving and a reminder of the tragedies in other countries.

 

MIKE WELLS