Amid the buzz and sparkle of an extended metropolis, people overindulged in life; behold, where the claws of poverty gouge out a piece of a few. On the streets of Tehran, in “hope” of “capturing” a shot to satiate my passion for photography I “captured dim hope”. These are a people who have plunged into an empty pocket whilst discovering a coin in their torso. All else let them down but a kidney. Anticipating a recipient, phone numbers, blood types, age are their memoirs on city walls and as signature, a humble price… My camera’s bewildered gaze came across 33-year-old Abbas. Once a kick boxing champ, Abbas is now beat by the kicks and punches of poverty. To retain custody of his 9-year-old daughter who he lost to what he called a bitter divorce from an indecent spouse, his now only hope is a kidney. As rapid as a wink of an eye I encountered Akram; 48, no clue what blood type was but she knew well what sacrifice meant. A tormenting seven month span of witnessing her son surrender both his kidneys to high blood pressure brought her on the verge of becoming an anonymous benefactor or donor for her 33-year-old son. Then there came this man; Karim, 25 years old, ashamed to reveal his occupation as a simple worker. And abhorred by the fact that he could not even pay for blood tests to give his kidney away to his heart and soul; his daughter at the tender age of two. This one is Leila, 32; a victim of unemployment, abuse and poverty. She had high hopes of running away from her abusive husband by swapping her kidney for her three kids. Her faith in the plan was so profound she had made a divine promise to donate her kidney whatever the outcome as alms… oblivious that a kidney donation- a donation from her own flesh requires the consent of the very person she is fleeing from. Then Moslem came along, 29, stabbed with regret. He gave his kidney away a week prior to this take for approximately $2500. But the institute monitoring kidney donations prohibits offers higher than $2350 for the donor. In dire need of cash, Moslem apparently convinced the kidney recipient to settle the remainder of payments after surgery. Today, Moslem’s calls are unanswered. In Iran, legal institutes do operate to monitor kidney donations. However, low state prices plus high-priced blood tests lead nowhere but to the gloomy black market where brokers rule. Still in the universe of these few who were willing to have their picture taken, “Poverty” has the last say.
Amid the buzz and sparkle of an extended metropolis, people overindulged in life; behold, where the claws of poverty gouge out a piece of a few.
On the streets of Tehran, in “hope†of “capturing†a shot to satiate my passion for photography I “captured dim hopeâ€.
These are a people who have plunged into an empty pocket whilst discovering a coin in their torso. All else let them down but a kidney. Anticipating a recipient, phone numbers, blood types, age are their memoirs on city walls and as signature, a humble price…
My camera’s bewildered gaze came across 33-year-old Abbas. Once a kick boxing champ, Abbas is now beat by the kicks and punches of poverty. To retain custody of his 9-year-old daughter who he lost to what he called a bitter divorce from an indecent spouse, his now only hope is a kidney.
As rapid as a wink of an eye I encountered Akram; 48, no clue what blood type was but she knew well what sacrifice meant. A tormenting seven month span of witnessing her son surrender both his kidneys to high blood pressure brought her on the verge of becoming an anonymous benefactor or donor for her 33-year-old son.
Then there came this man; Karim, 25 years old, ashamed to reveal his occupation as a simple worker. And abhorred by the fact that he could not even pay for blood tests to give his kidney away to his heart and soul; his daughter at the tender age of two.
This one is Leila, 32; a victim of unemployment, abuse and poverty. She had high hopes of running away from her abusive husband by swapping her kidney for her three kids. Her faith in the plan was so profound she had made a divine promise to donate her kidney whatever the outcome as alms… oblivious that a kidney donation- a donation from her own flesh requires the consent of the very person she is fleeing from.
Then Moslem came along, 29, stabbed with regret. He gave his kidney away a week prior to this take for approximately $2500. But the institute monitoring kidney donations prohibits offers higher than $2350 for the donor. In dire need of cash, Moslem apparently convinced the kidney recipient to settle the remainder of payments after surgery. Today, Moslem’s calls are unanswered.
In Iran, legal institutes do operate to monitor kidney donations. However, low state prices plus high-priced blood tests lead nowhere but to the gloomy black market where brokers rule. Still in the universe of these few who were willing to have their picture taken, “Poverty†has the last say.