Hope
A Photograph by Viviane Rakotoarivony
This is the 166th edition of Tender Photo, a digital platform of African photography.
In the daylight, the expansive sky, soft clouds and glimpses of vibrant blue are spread overhead. Pale green plains of indistinct vegetation in varied shades of rich leafy green are layered into the frame as the large field fades into the background, touching the sky. To the left, a small tree with an arching trunk stands beside a thatched hut—one of three in the scene. One hut sits to the right, partly hidden, another one stands in the center—fully visible and shooting a little forward beyond the hut to the left. Built on textured, dry sand, the central hut is compact, with a steep A-frame shape, covered in raffia fibres of browns and greys. A young girl in a yellow ochre top and a multicolored wrapper stands on its roof wearing red slippers on her feet. One of her arms rests lightly on the corrugated zinc sheets tied to the roof’s top. She looks into the distance in a graceful curved pose. Her hair is packed in a single puff, though some strands rebel, flying free.
– ‘wùnmíbáyọ̀
“Photography is expression, documentation, and resistance, all at once..”
I took the photo in a rural area in southern Madagascar. I was talking with another young mother when I saw her. There was something striking about the way she stood, looking out toward the horizon. It felt like a moment I couldn’t miss. I raised my camera and captured it instinctively—no setup, no pose. Just a raw, honest moment that said everything without words.
This photo is part of Children Raising Children, an ongoing personal project about young mothers carrying the weight of parenthood before adulthood. It’s more than a portrait—it’s a message of hope. Her gaze toward the horizon suggests possibility, strength, and the chance for a different future. It symbolizes a girl who, despite the odds, can still dream of freedom and a life beyond her current reality.
Apart from the technical side, a photo has to say something. I’m drawn to people—especially women—and the stories their faces, bodies, and spaces can tell. Photography gives me a way to highlight realities that are often ignored or silenced. It’s not just about aesthetics; it’s about truth. I use the camera to focus on moments and lives that deserve to be seen, to give voice to those who often go unheard. For me, photography is expression, documentation, and resistance, all at once.
— Viviane Rakotoarivony
About Viviane Rakotoarivony
Viviane Rakotoarivony is a 39-year-old self-taught photographer from Madagascar, specializing in documentary work. Starting in 2003, she’s tackled themes like motherhood, poverty, and addiction, with a focus on women’s lives. Her work has been exhibited locally and supported by NGOs including UN OCHA and The End Fund. She’s finalizing Children Raising Children, a long-term project on teen motherhood, using photography to spark dialogue and push for social change.
RELATED — “An Ode to Women in Rural Ethiopia”
In this image Koite shoos away birds from her Sorghum field in Derashe, Southern Ethiopia. I met her in 2014 on an assignment focusing on access to clean drinking water. At 25 she was already a mother of three and fully managed her household and the farm. She graciously spent her afternoon with me discussing her daily chores, which involved collecting water from the river more than an hour away. She then showed me her sorghum field and climbed a tree to demonstrate how she kept the birds away.
LAST WEEK — “Le fils de la Mer (The Son of the Sea)” by Ibrahim Ben Saïd Camara
This photo was taken at the port of Boulbinet after a crossing from Kassa Island. I conducted interviews and took some photos with my friend Djiba. During these crossings, an experienced adult steers the boat, while a younger person at the front assists with docking. This young man impressed me with his confidence: shirtless, muscular, standing tall at the edge of the boat, unafraid. I first photographed him from behind; then, upon arrival, he agreed to let me take his portrait. His gaze, both tough and tender, sincere and unpretentious, struck me. I love the details in this image: his haircut, the grains of sand on his face, the ropes, the marks on his skin, his rolled-up shorts... Each element tells a part of his story.
TENDER PHOTO is a digital platform of African photography, founded by Emmanuel Iduma. This edition is edited by Adéwùnmí Adébáyọ̀, one of our editorial fellows. Our newsletter aims to engage with life on the African continent through photography. We publish narratives about the people, places, and events pictured in photographs, contributing to nuanced and layered perceptions. The newsletter also read on web (best for viewing images), and via the Substack iOS/Android apps.
Every Wednesday we feature a photograph, a short caption about it, and a statement from the photographer. In the past, we have published commentaries or photo-essays in response to photographs previously featured on the newsletter, including CORRESPONDENCES, CONCORDANCE, KINDRED, INDEX, and AFFINITIES.
Thank you for reading. If this newsletter was shared with you, consider subscribing, or forward to a friend. Please whitelist the newsletter to ensure you never miss it.
Very insightful. Your 'Children Raising Children' project is powerful.
Love these. Your newsletter is so refreshing!