Entry Title: " Crossing lethal waters for shelter "
Name: Mashid Mohadjerin, United States
Category: Professional, Feature Story


Entry Description: Off the coast of Tunesia, Lampedusa forms part of a much-used route for illegal immigration from Africa into Europe. Smugglers charge high sums of money to make the crossing, often crowded onto barely seaworthy craft. The Italian interior minister said about 31,700 immigrants landed on Lampedusa during in 2008, an increase of 75 percent on the year before. Local authorities are struggling to cope with the influx. Detention centers built to house would-be immigrants are filled beyond capacity, forcing migrants to sleep outdoors.

Mashid Mohadjerin was born in Iran and grew up in Belgium, where she received her MFA in photography. She started freelancing in 2004, while also working on personal projects that focused mainly on social/cultural identity and migration. She has worked as a photographer across the world, and has lived in Pakistan, Czech Republic, Belgium, the Netherlands and the USA. Her clients include The New York Times, BBC online, Oxfam, La Repubblica/La Domenica, Mondiaal magazine and Elsevier, among many others. Her work has been exhibited in Europe, the USA and Central Asia, and accolades include World Press Photo Award in Contemporary Issues: 1st prize singles, and a photo award from the International Organization for Migration. Mohadjerin is currently based in New York, is represented by Reporters Agency in Europe, and is a Redux pictures contributing photographer