ENTRY DESCRIPTION
Spanning 190 square miles, the Cayapas Mataje Mangrove Reserve is home to the tallest mangrove trees in the world. It is inhabited by afro-Ecuadorian communities that rely on gathering black shells, a delicacy, as a form of livelihood. Children as young as 9 years old are expected to pick shells every day to contribute to their families' income. Even though black shells are a culinary delicacy in Ecuador, shell pickers are paid 8 cents of a dollar per shell. On average pickers will find between 50 and 100 shells in a day's work. Most children are good shell pickers as they are agile and light, allowing them to navigate around the infinite spider web of mangrove roots.

AUTHOR
Felipe Jácome is a documentary photographer born in Quito, Ecuador. After finishing his studies at the Johns Hopkins University and the London School of Economics, his work has focused on issues of human mobility and human rights. Jacome’s photos have appeared in publications such as Foreign Policy Magazine, The Guardian, Vice Magazine, CNN Photo Blog and the Miami Herald. His most recent work aims to document the work of female activists around the world through the creation of “visual testimonies,” that combine his portraiture with the women’s written testimonies and artistic expressions, allowing them to reappropriate their images and narratives.

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