Rebecca Anzueto
Mike Wells, "Uganda Famine"
1980
This photograph was taken by Briton Mike wells in the Karamoja district in Uganda on April of 1980. It shows a missionary holding a hand of a Ugandan boy. It takes place during the 1980s famine in Uganda that was caused by droughts and hardships. During this devastating event 30,000 people lost their lives because of starvation and 60% were infants. Mike wells took this photo to show the extreme state of starvation in Africa. This photograph won a prize in a competition, but mike wells felt ashamed that he took the photograph of a starving child. He did not intend to win the completion or enter it, he was in fact against it. This photograph reminds me of the disparity, struggles, and injustice in the world. How some people have to fight their problems while others fight to survive on very little resources. I picked this image because it's a reminder to everyone to value their lives because some children are unfortunate and it also serves as motivation to help and make a difference, because no one deserves to be in this situation. Despite the saddening image of a starving child this photograph does have a powerful aspect that shows hope and love between two different people during a heartbreaking event.
