THE CHILDREN OF THE DUMPSITE

• Prize
• Photographer
  JAVIER SANCHEZ-MONGE ESCARDO, Spain
• Studio
  AGE FOTOSTOCK INTERNATIONAL/ PERIODISTAS EN ESPANOL

Oblivious to their surroundings, the children of the dumpsite force themselves to carry on
with their lives just like any other child would, playing, loving, crying or laughing.
Since they are just children and they were born into that world, they all believe that
this is what the world and life is about. Their childhood however, is far from
privileged; as soon as they are able, they will have to work hard by scavenging for
plastic bottles, metal scraps or any other rests thrown away by the more privileged part
of society .
Their meals will consist mainly of rice and the only proteins at their reach will come
from an occasional frog, rat ,lizard or snake caught by them or their parents. As
newborns, the child mortality is high and most of the children are continuously coughing
as if they were smokers, since day and night they breathe the toxic smoke and fumes coming
from the burning of garbage and plastic. Many have chronic illnesses, external and
internal parasites, and have no doctor to go to. The water they drink is contaminated, and
the combination of a dysenteric amebiasis with the heat coming from the tropical
climate,can very fast lead to a dehydration which can turn fatal. Their involvement in
child labor prevents them from going to school and therefore from becoming something else
in life but scavengers.
The Children of the dumpsite love, and feel , just like any child, and are even capable to
pray to the Buddha before a small shrine nailed to one of the only trees of the dumpsite.
It is only later, when they become teenagers and learn on how the rest of the human
society discriminates them, that they will know what their fate was meant to be.

• Awards
  My name is Javier Sanchez-Monge Escardo .I was born in Madrid in 1965.Education: Degree in International business management at the Schiller International University Germany (Heidleberg), 3 years of Biology studies at the University of Alcala de Henares and a degree in Philosophy, followed by a PHD still to be finished. Several advanced photography courses, video and editing. Can speak and write in different languages. Constantly I have been travelling around the world, photographing and living in foreign cultures. AWARDS 2014 FIRST PLACE (GOLD) People’s Choice Awards 2014, Press Feature Story at the Prix de Paris Awards (PX3 2014) FIRST PLACE (GOLD)) /General News at the Prix de Paris Awards (PX32014) FIRST PLACE (GOLD) People’s Choice Awards 2014 /Nature Environmental at the THIRD PLACE (BRONZE) Press Feature Story at the Prix de Paris Awards 2014 THREE HONORABLE MENTIONS Prix de Paris Awards (PX3 2014) 4 HONORABLE MENTIONS at the ND Awards (2014).THREE HONORABLE MENTIONS at the International Photography Awards (IPA 2014). 2015 TWO HONORABLE MENTIONS MONOCHROME AWARDS 2014, TWO HONORABLE MENTIONS IPA one shot awards 2015 Works exhibited during the Month of Photography, Los Angeles by the LUCIE FOUNDATION. SEVEN HONORABLE MENTIONS IPA 2015, FOUR HONORABLE MENTIONS Prix de Paris White Awards 2015.SIX HONORABLE MENTIONS Prix de Paris Awards annual competition 2015 TWO HONORABLE MENTIONS ND AWARDS 2015 IPA 2015 SECOND PLACE Award Category Event Culture and traditions. IPA THIRD PLACE AWARD Awards Category Portraiture, Children. PRIX DE PARIS 2015 SILVER MEDAL Environmental Press category. PRIX DE PARIS 2015 BRONZE MEDAL Portraits category. FIRST PLACE ND AWARDS 2015 (GOLDEN STAR AWARD) People. FIRST PLACE ND AWARDS 2015 (GOLDEN STAR AWARD) Editorial, Environmental. FINALIST WITH HONORABLE MENTION at the SIENA INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS storyboard category, FINALIST NOMINEE at the FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS (FAPA 2015) portraits category, FINALIST NOMINEE at the FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS (FAPA 2015) Photojournalism category. 3HONORABLE MENTIONS MONOCHROME AWARDS 2015