Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC)

• Prize
• Photographer
  Robbi Hüner, Italy

The photography project KMC was borned in December 2011 by a
meeting in Rome with a Franciscan sister Elisa Carta, head of
Se.A.Mi., an humanitarian NGO founded in 1996. This
organization was founded by some young Italian volunteers with
the aim of being able to make a contribution to the ongoing
remote Franciscan Missions based in sub-Saharan Africa, Burkina
Faso, Congo and Togo.
The photojournalistic project in progress, aims to document the
activities and programs of help and support to the African people
carried out by the Missionary Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi.
In this context, the pictures are a part of the project proposal,
about the experience at Tokoin Teaching Hospital Lome, Togo,
Africa, the raising of premature infants by kangaroo method.
After births, premature infants need a high level of medical
treatments for their survivals in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care
Unit) or in french language SMK (Soins Maternels Kangourou). The
separation deprives mothers of the chance to initiate an
attachment process. Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is an
ambulatory care technique for the low birth weight infants, which
implicate the portage of the infant in Kangaroo position with skin-
to-skin contact. KMC can be one of the ways to reunite mothers
and their infants in the NICU and improve health outcomes. KMC
has a significant positive impact on the infant’s perceptual-
cognitive and motor development.

Awards - Nikon Contest - FIOF “International Awards Orvieto Fotografia”, 2nd Place Overall Winner with one Gold, two Silver and one Bronze Award in Photojournalism Category, one Bronze Award Winner in the Story Category and three Bronze Award in Portrait Category, Orvieto, 2014
- Grand Prix de Découverte, International Fine Art Photography, Juror Award of Merit, Street Photography/Documentary, Paris, France, 2013
- Festival Off Perpignan, Selected for the Exhibition with the reportage Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) - Lomè Hospital - Togo - West Africa, Perpignan, France, 2013
- The Royal Photographic Society, Selected for 156th International Print Exhibition, Stafford, Barnsley, Banbury, Taunton, U.K., 2013
- Zoè Fondation, International Photographs Contest, Finalist, Vicenza, 2013
- Nikon Contest - FIOF “International Awards Orvieto Fotografia”, 2nd Place Overall Winner with Four Silver Award in Photojournalism Category and One Silver Award Winner in the Story Category, Barletta, 2013
- Professional Photographer of the Year 2012 awards (PPOTY) Top20 shortlisted in Location Flash Category, London, UK
- Photo Club Kozjak, International Exhibition of Art Photography Soul, ISF Bronze Award Winner, Kumanovo, Macedonia, 2013
- Gallery 69, NY Center for Photographic Art, Fall, 2nd Place Winner and Honorable Mention, People, Category On The Street, New York, U.S.A., 2012
- National Geographic Italia, Photography Contest 2012, 3rd Place Winner, People Category, 2012
- International Loupe Awards Open Competition, Bronze Award Winner, Photojournalism Category, Melbourne - Australia, 2012
- Nikon Contest - FIOF “International Awards Orvieto Fotografia”, Three Silver and One Bronze Award Winner, Reportage Category, Orvieto, 2012
- GenovARTE, IV Biennale Contemporary Art, Finalist, Genova, 2011
- ArteMextempore, Literary Art Prize, 1st Prize Winner, Urbino, 2011
- Luca Pron Award Contest, 1st Prize Winner, Turin, 2011
- Zoè Fondation, International Photographs Contest, Finalist, Vicenza, 2011
- European Festival of Photography EPSON-AFI Award, 2nd Place Winner, Castellanza, Varese, 2010
- PhotoBiennale Thessaloniki Cedefop Photomuseum Award, Finalist, Thessaloniki - Greece, 2010
- FIOF “International Awards Orvieto Fotografia”, Gold and Three Silver Awards Winner, Reportage Category, Orvieto, 2010