South America
Information
In September 1990 I was commissioned by Action Aid to travel to South America for a month. We visited Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. It was one of the most memorable trip I've done. At the time South America was going through a lot of social and political turmoil. Peru was still fighting a low level civil war with Sendero Luminoso or Shining Path. We worked in the countryside and the roads and infrastructure was very basic. Several times we slept in stables. On my return I entered a set of images into the 'Young Photo-journalist of the Year Awards 1990' and won. I used the prize money to pay for two trips. One to Yugoslavia at the start of the civil war and another to Iran and Iraq to cover the Kurdish refugee crisis after the first Gulf War.
Two children outside the village church on the outskirts of Sucua, Ecuador.
Peasants feet, Bambamarca, Peru.
The village King and Queen. This was in a very remote village near Bustillo, North of Potosi, Bolivia. It took nearly six hours to drive there. The teacher ruled the village like a feudal lord and had several families looking after all his needs. We didn't stay long.
Mother and baby, San Jacinto, Ecuador.
Portrait of a woman at home in a local co-operative tin mining town. Bustillo, North of Potosi, Bolivia.
Three generations of the same family at a village meeting. Near San Jacinto, Ecuador.
Women gathered around a fire outside the tin mining town of Bustillo, North of Potosi, Bolivia. The district had suffered a severe drought and the locals had been forced to eat the following years seed potatoes to survive.
Woman cooking at home, San Jacinto, Ecuador.
Pupils at a local village school. Near Bustillo, North of Potosi, Bolivia.
A group of local 'Rondas' or Committees of Self Defence. Originally set up to stop rustlers, the Peruvian government co-opted them as a counter to Shining Path. Many peasants were unhappy with the tacit of Shining Path as the civil war got more and more brutal. Near Bambamarca, Peru.
Mother and daughter, Sucua, Ecuador.
Village meeting, Sucua, Ecuador.
Mother with her six children visiting a community clinic that only opens twice a week, San Jacinto, Ecuador.
Miner heading down to work at a local co-operative tin mine. Bustillo, North of Potosi, Bolivia.
Miner having breakfast before going to work at a local co-operative tin mine. Bustillo, North of Potosi, Bolivia.
Portrait, San Jacinto, Ecuador.
Pupils at a local village school on a community road building project. Near Bustillo, North of Potosi, Bolivia.
Local band playing on the outskirts of the tin mining town of Bustillo, North of Potosi, Bolivia. The district had suffered a severe drought and the locals had been forced to eat the following years seed potatoes to survive.
Young girl carrying her brother. Near Bambamarca, Peru.
