Forced to Marry
Imagine you’re forced to flee your war-stricken country where armed conflict, economic decline, disease, and hunger are everyday struggles. You find refuge in a settlement along the border of a neighboring country, only to find an entirely new threat: being sold into marriage.
Over 80 percent of those fleeing the war in South Sudan are women and children. Children make up an astounding 63 percent of the total South Sudanese refugee population. Many find refuge just inside the border of Uganda, where they are protected from the war but face challenges such as limited access to food and water, poor sanitation and illness, forced recruitment into sexual slavery or armed groups, and forced marriage.
Forced to Marry explores the complex issue of forced marriage through the stories of four young girls in Uganda’s Imvepi Refugee Settlement. In their own words, they share their experiences and express concern for the lack of basic necessities, their desire to return to school and get an education, and the struggles of being young mothers.
Don Feria
Standford University
Matilde, your work carries out the mission of photography at its best--to inspire, challenge, and provoke people into taking action for positive change. Thank you for sharing your work and many talents with the global community!
Kay Chernush
ArtWorks for Freedom
While the Ugandan government has been a relatively welcoming host to 1 million plus refugees (more than any other African country), it is a region facing economic hardship itself, and this inevitably trickles down and disproportionately impacts these already disenfranchised and vulnerable people attempting to build new lives. Such an existence has put many of these young women and girls in the position of being forced into marriage and their increased vulnerability puts them at greater risk of being trafficked – see a short video at the end of the article that follows several of them on such journeys.
Mattie’s words, but more importantly her photos, capture the essence of such an existence with undeniable clarity and strength. Her ability to express the fortitude, perseverance, and simultaneous suffering of these women and children is startling.
March for Children’s Rights Rally
March for Children’s Rights Rally, organized by a non-profit named Keeping Kids Safe. Listening to advocate and survivor of human trafficking Selina Deveau was powerful. District Attorney Jonathan Sahrbeck also spoke about this serious issue. It’s a big surprise to many that sex trafficking operations capture an estimated 200 to 300 Maine victims every year, said Sahrbeck.
Human trafficking is an issue that touches every community, including cities, suburbs, and rural towns—and there is something each of us can do to help prevent it. The Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign provides plenty of opportunities for individuals or organizations to raise awareness about human trafficking.
What can you do?Lend your time, talent, and skills to the movement. Volunteer to mentor young girls and boys to foster self-respect, as well as respect for women. Reduce your slavery footprint by only consuming products that are fair trade or have traceable supply chains.
Let Me Be Brave: Story of Limb Loss
Amen, a rambunctious, 4-year-old boy from the outskirts of Addis Abba, Ethiopia. He was born with a limb difference on his right leg below the knee. Amen and his family are one of the hundreds of families living in rural areas, where low literacy rates are common, internet accessibility is scarce, and modern health services are expensive.
Amen is the only child in his family born with a limb difference, and accessing affordable prosthetic care is a financial hardship for his family. Amen’s mother, Hiwot, also shares, “People are not open about disability in our community, and I want that to change.” Her hope is that when they go home, people in the community will see her son's improved lifestyle and their perceptions about people with a disability will change.
Children who have undergone amputations or are born with limb difference are often hidden at home often without the knowledge of neighbors or friends knowing they exist. “This needs to change,” Hiwot says. “At home, [Amen] is a normal boy and does everything other children do,” she says. “He goes to school, plays soccer, and does not require help from anyone. That’s because we treat him the same. We do not hide him and we are not ashamed of him.”
Over the course of a week, Amen and Hiwot received mentorship, a free prosthesis, and information on prosthetic care. Thanks to the Limb Kind Foundation and the CURE Ethiopia Children's Hospital, Amen is back to enjoying his freedom and continues to be encouraged by his family.
Show Your Shine: First Adaptive Fashion Show
Oceanside and Rockville Centre community members rallied behind 25 people with limb loss and limb differences on Jan. 11 for the Limb Kind Foundation’s inaugural “Show Your Shine” adaptive runway event. Held at Oceanside Jewish Center, the adults and children with limb differences came from across North America — 12 states and Canada — to strut the stage as models for the night in an inspiring and moving fashion show that “shined light” on their physical differences.
Philippines: Children with Limb Loss
Meet Sara, one of Limb Kind's Physical Therapists as she assists children with limb difference and their families during a life changing journey at Tebow CURE Hospital in Davao City, Philippines.
Limb Kind Foundation: Giving Children a chance to be Independent
One of Capture Humanity’s short video productions with Robert Schulman, Limb Kind Foundation’s Executive Director and Founder. In this Short video Rob talks about the extreme need for prosthetic care for children in the Philippines.
Paralympic Athlete: On a mission to Change Lives
Checkout another great short video created by Capture Humanity for Limb Kind Foundation. This short features Paralympic swimmer, runner and triathlete from the USA, Rudy Garcia-Tolson during a life changing Limb Kind trip in the Philippines.
Atlas of Humanity: Using Photography as Activism
A short video shot in Paris at the Atlas of Humanity Exhibition and some scenes of Capture Humanity Founder, Matilde Simas exploring the beautiful city!