Silver / 2019 / Advertising / Annual Reports

• Prize
  Silver in Advertising/Annual Reports
• Photographer
  Matilde Simas, United States
• Studio
  Matilde Simas Photography
• Website
  http://www.matildesimas.com
• Instagram
  https://www.instagram.com/mattie_simas/?hl=en

Kenya’s abandonment of female genital mutilation (FGM) was written into federal law in 2011, yet the practice remains widespread in remote areas of the country. “If I do not accept the ‘cut,’ I will be forced to leave,” says one Maasai girl from a remote village. “Where can I go? Girls are cast out from their communities if they’re not ‘cut.’ ”She explains that many girls undergo the process due to familial and community pressures. Maasai society represses the voices of women, and the costs are high for girls who reject the traditional way.

Matilde Simas is an award-winning photographer and filmmaker. She also serves as the Creative Art Director for the Limb Kind Foundation, where she combines her artistic vision and storytelling expertise to raise global awareness about the challenges faced by individuals with limb loss. With a background in psychology and women’s studies from Suffolk University and advanced training in digital photography at the Rhode Island School of Design, Matilde brings a unique perspective to her work, guided by a trauma-informed approach that emphasizes documenting dignity within vulnerable communities.