Photographer Alessio Mamo discusses his award-winning portrait of Manal, a young girl treated at a Médecins Sans Frontières hospital in Amman after being injured in Iraq.
Key facts
- •Alessio Mamo began focusing on social injustice and post-conflict stories after covering a 2013 shipwreck off Lampedusa.
- •The Al-Mowasah hospital project involved spending several months with patients and staff to build personal connections.
- •Manal’s portrait was captured spontaneously during a session Mamo described as feeling like a game.
- •Mamo won his first World Press Photo award in 2018 for the image of Manal.
- •Mamo intends to continue his work to raise awareness about the suffering of children in conflict zones.
Photographer Alessio Mamo reflects on his project, The Hospital of All the Wars, which documented patients at the Médecins Sans Frontières Al-Mowasah hospital in Amman, Jordan. Among his subjects was Manal, a 12-year-old Iraqi girl who suffered severe burns from a missile explosion in Kirkuk. Mamo’s portrait of Manal, taken during his time spent with patients and their families, won a World Press Photo award in 2018.
Documenting life at Al-Mowasah hospital
Mamo and journalist Marta Bellingreri spent six months in Jordan, visiting the Al-Mowasah hospital three times a week to document patients from Iraq, Gaza, Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon. The project aimed to tell the stories of those recovering from conflict, including children undergoing long-term treatment.
The portrait of Manal
Manal, who was 12 at the time of the photograph, required extensive surgery and a protective mask to shield her face from light following her injuries. Despite her condition, Mamo described her as a regular young girl who enjoyed drawing and participating in hospital activities. Mamo remains in contact with Manal, who is now 19 and living in Kirkuk.
Ongoing focus on children in conflict
Mamo continues to focus his work on the impact of conflict on children, citing it as an increasingly urgent issue. He plans to travel to Beirut with the Guardian to document children harmed by ongoing war, aiming to raise awareness through his photography.
Timeline
- October 3, 2013A major shipwreck occurred off the coast of Lampedusa, influencing Mamo's shift toward social documentary photography.
- 2018Mamo won a World Press Photo award for his portrait of Manal.
- Last yearMamo visited Manal in Kirkuk, where she is living with her uncle.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by The Guardian Culture.
