Father Riccardo Tobanelli is a Xaverian Missionary Priest and he takes care of street children. Only in Dhaka there are more than 60 thousands street children.
The plight of street children is one of the most dreadful manifestations of the injustice of poverty and exclusion. The street children survive on the margins of society relaying only on their own efforts. Children's rights are at best ignored and at worst trampled upon through indifference, economic exploitation, and sexual and physical abuse.
"Tokai kora", in Bengali language, means to pick up discarded things and "Tokai" is the name given to those street children who do that. It is a very appropriate name for street children in Dhaka, since they survive on the streets recycling rubbish. Most of them contract debts with shop owners in order to survive. These kids live in a situation of bonded labor and slavery.
Italian humanist and environmental photographer/filmmaker, is an award - winning photographer based in Italy.
His photographs have been exhibited all over Europe, United States and China, and published in Italian and international newspapers and magazines among them: l'Espresso, Internazionale, Alias del Manifesto, Vogue Italia, Corriere della Sera
Repubblica, Panorama, Il Sole 24 ore, Oggi, Le Scienze, Daylight Magazine, Days Japan International, Asahi Shinbum, The Telegraph, The Guardian, Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Spiegel, Wired USA, Asian Geo, China Newsweek, National Geographic USA
Awards 2013 Special Prize by Juries “Days Japan international Photojournalism Awards”
2013 Honorable mention "Fotovisura Grant 2013"
2013 Finalist "Eugene Smith Grant 2013"
2013 Honorable Mention "PX3 Prix de la Photographie 2013"
2014 Public Prize "Days Japan International Photojournalism Awards 2014"
2014 Finalist "Leica Oskar Barnack Awards"
2014 Honorable Mention "PX3 Prix de la Photographie 2014"
2014 Finalist "Pictures of the Year international" category Environmental Vision Award
2015 Finalist "Pictures of the Year international" category best photography book award
2015 Finalist "Gomma Grant 2015"
2015 Honorable Mention "PX3 Prix de la Photographie 2015"
2015 Honorable Mention "SIPA Awards"
2015 Finalist "Travel Photographer of the year 2015"
2016 Remarkable Awards "SIPA awards"
2016 Honorable mention "SDN visual stories exploring global themes"
2016 Finalist POY Pictures of the year international, category "Environmental Vision Award"
2017 "Earth Reporter of the year 2017" from Earth Day Italia, Bologna, Italy 2017
2017 Highly Commended "Travel Photographer of the Year 2017"
2018 Finalist "Gomma Grant 2018"
2019 Shortlisted "Alexia Foundation Grant 2019"
2020 Shortlisted "Sony World Photography Awards 2020" Environmental category
2020 Finalist "Pictures of The Year International" Environmental Vision Award category
2020 Award of Excellence "Pictures of The Year International" Science & Natural History—Picture Story category
