How the fate of the child from Africa was, whose photo was famous all over the world, and why the photographer did not help the child

Kevin Carter, renowned photographer became famous for one image that deeply offended the public in the West. The picture was taken in 1993 in Sudan and was later called “The Vulture and the Girl” or “Photo of a Starving Child”.

The trip was made possible thanks to Robert Hadley. In March 1993, he, being a photographer and a member of a UN charity mission, called Kevin to Sudan to capture the hunger of these places and show the world. For the photographer, this situation was considered a chance to build a career, earn extra money and, in the best case scenario, become famous.

Then the theme of African children suffering from infections and hunger was extremely relevant. Brave, ambitious photographers, journalists, writers and actors came. Such a trip did not give any guarantees of safety. Kevin traveled to East Africa, witnessed horrifying things and captured them. The photo shows an exhausted child who collapsed and fell to the ground, and a scavenger who waits for the child to die.

Homecoming

When Carter returned home, The New York Times published the photo, provoking public outrage. This work was instantly replicated and used to raise money for the starving people of Africa. It was impossible to remain indifferent to the emaciated child from the photo. People sent funds to the charity, asking the editor of the New York Times: “What is the fate of the child?”, “Was it possible to save him?”

Readers were not answered. According to Carter, having received a good shot, he drove the bird away and went to the plane. Taking into account the child remained a mystery.

Accusations against Kevin

The public condemned Kevin, accusing him of shamelessness and cruelty. One publication in America published the following phrase:

“He who aims his camera only to photograph a child who is dying is no different from a scavenger”

People condemning the photo have learned about only one case in the hell of Sudan. People refused to accept that a dose of professional cynicism is not so terrible, since it allows a person to work, bringing benefit to those who suffer instead of useless tears.

But was Kevin really that bad?

Through the work of Kevin Carter, the world learned about the suffering of people in East Africa and helped them. Even if Carter did not save that child, he did not have such a duty: he is a photographer, not a doctor. In addition, before the trip, Kevin and his colleagues were instructed to stay away from the locals. So, the only way he could help them, was to inform the world about them and show that they were suffering…