Gold in Press/Nature/Environmental / 2023 / Press / Nature/Environmental

• Prize
  Gold in Press/Nature/Environmental
• Photographer
  Mauro De Bettio, Spain
• Date of Photograph
  05/02/2023
• Studio
  Mauro De Bettio
• Website
  https://www.maurodebettio.com
• Instagram
  https://www.instagram.com/mauro_de_bettio/

Ruma is crossing the flooded backyard of her lost house with her son Ankit. Ruma was just 11 years old when she was abducted by a neighbor, and then trafficked for 3 years. When rescued she was 9 months pregnant and a month later, her newborn died in her arms, at just 13 years of age. In May 2020, the catastrophic tropical cyclone that hit the Sunderban delta destroyed her house, which is now still, to this day, under water.

Mauro De Bettio is an internationally recognized photographer and storyteller capturing the heart of remote and complex worlds. His work documents acid attack survivors in Bangladesh, Manila’s prisons, life in Afghanistan, the dreams of African slum ballerinas, and Asia’s largest sex worker communities. In 2021, he founded the Malaika Foundation to support food, healthcare, and opportunities for brighter futures, giving voice to the voiceless.

Awards 2025 - Overall Winner Our Nature Photo Awards

2025 - Photographer Of The Year 1839 Awards - Storytelling category

2025 - 1st Prize Winner Istanbul Photo Awards - Single Portrait

2025 - Winner Travel Photographer of the Year: The People’s Choice Award

2024 - Winner Prix de la Photographie Paris

2024 - Winner World Water Day Photo Contest

2023 - Winner Prix de la Photographie Paris

2022 - Overall Winner American Photography Open

2022 - Overall Winner FIIPA

2021 - ND Photographer of the Year

2021 - Winner URBAN Photo Award

2020 - Winner Portrait of Humanity

2020 - Overall Winner AAP

2018 - Winner Malta International Photo Award

2018 - Winner National Geographic Italy

2018 - Winner American Photography Open

2018 - Winner LENSCULTURE Portrait Awards