Haitian Beatz

It’s not a picture of " La Badee" nor the “Citadelle”; even when Haiti comes out the winner, it doesn’t result in good news.  This year’s winner of Unicef’s Picture of the year is  2i year-old Alice Smeets, who took a picture of a little girl in the slums of Cite Soleil, barefooted, dressed in little white dress, as poor as one can be, out in despair but with hope in her eyes.

This is a photo, that one is hoping never took place, but wishes could open the eyes of many who are so far away, lost in the reality of a Country that once used to be called “the pearl of the Caribbean”.

“The girl trudges barefoot through the water, which is full of old shoes, dilapidated tins, and plastic bags. Two black pigs graze on an island of trash. They are ideal pets: they are impressively robust, and they feed themselves mainly off garbage. Blue skies and clouds are reflected in the filthy water. In the background stand the dwellings of the "Cité Soleil" slum, the "city of the sun," its huts corroded by rust.” (Haitinovation)

This is a quote from Alice after she had learned that she was this year's winner:

Hey jupiii - it is official. I was so nervous and excited about it – I won the Unicef Picture of the year 2008. I cannot express how happy I am. It’s not only great because my work as a photographer gets recognition (I am just at the beginning of my career and all the winners of the years before were great and famous photojournalists), but also and much more important – eventually many people will turn there eyes on Haitis children. I hope that everyone now gets their ass up and donates just a small amount – if we all pull the same string, we will cause change. To say it in Obamas words: Yes we can. Let’s help Haiti. Please donate a little bit of money to organizations that help Haiti to help themselves. I also collect donations for the children that you see on my pictures.  I assure that every cent will reach Haiti. I will return to Haiti in March 2009 and one of my missions will be to find that little girl again that you see on the winning image. I want to help her and send her to school.

I also speak to the young people – we all can cause change. I am myself 21 years old and can assure that no-one will aver regret to have helped some people in need.”