Olmo Calvo - Wawachaña, births on the roof of the world - Premio Luis Valtueña

Captions

General view of the city of El Alto next to the city of La Paz in Bolivia. September, 2nd, 2013.

1. General view of the city of El Alto next to the city of La Paz in Bolivia. September, 2nd, 2013.

Andrea Paris Mamani is 45 years old and has 6 children. Sofía 19 years, Felix 15 years, Segundina 12 years, Iliana 8 years, Crisilda 6 years, Ruben 5 years. Her husband is Lorenzo Coca, 48, from Potosí. They live in the town of Belén Iquiaca, in Patacamaya after giving birth to a dead baby.

2. Andrea Paris Mamani is 45 years old and has 6 children. Sofía 19 years, Felix 15 years, Segundina 12 years, Iliana 8 years, Crisilda 6 years, Ruben 5 years. Her husband is Lorenzo Coca, 48, from Potosí. They live in the town of Belén Iquiaca, in Patacamaya after giving birth to a dead baby.

Half-built coffin by Isidro Guachalla, 60 years old, for the baby of Andrea Paris Mamani, 45 years old, who was born dead in the Hospital of Patacamaya. Isidro Guachalla is a neighbor of mother Andrea Paris Mamani. Town of Belén Iquiaca.

3. Half-built coffin by Isidro Guachalla, 60 years old, for the baby of Andrea Paris Mamani, 45 years old, who was born dead in the Hospital of Patacamaya. Isidro Guachalla is a neighbor of mother Andrea Paris Mamani. Town of Belén Iquiaca.

The daughters of Andrea Paris Mamani look at the body of the baby who has just given birth to her mother. The baby was born dead.

4. The daughters of Andrea Paris Mamani look at the body of the baby who has just given birth to her mother. The baby was born dead.

Isidro Guachalla, 60 years old and Antonio Tola Lima, 66 years old, close the coffin of Andrea Paris's baby Mamani, 45 years old, while one of Andrea's daughters, 12 years old, watches them. Isidro and Antonio Tola are neighbors of Andrea's mother in Belén Iquiaca.

5. Isidro Guachalla, 60 years old and Antonio Tola Lima, 66 years old, close the coffin of Andrea Paris's baby Mamani, 45 years old, while one of Andrea's daughters, 12 years old, watches them. Isidro and Antonio Tola are neighbors of Andrea's mother in Belén Iquiaca.

Isidro Guachalla, 60 years old and Antonio Tola Lima, 66 years old, close the coffin of Andrea Paris's baby Mamani, 45 years old, while one of Andrea's daughters, 12 years old, watches them. Isidro and Antonio Tola are neighbors of Andrea's mother in Belén Iquiaca.

6. Isidro Guachalla, 60 years old and Antonio Tola Lima, 66 years old, close the coffin of Andrea Paris's baby Mamani, 45 years old, while one of Andrea's daughters, 12 years old, watches them. Isidro and Antonio Tola are neighbors of Andrea's mother in Belén Iquiaca.

Antonio Tola Lima, 66 years old, carries the coffin with the baby of Andrea Paris Mamani, to the cemetery of Belén Iquiaca. Antonio Tola Lima is a neighbor of Andra Paris Mamani's mother.

7. Antonio Tola Lima, 66 years old, carries the coffin with the baby of Andrea Paris Mamani, to the cemetery of Belén Iquiaca. Antonio Tola Lima is a neighbor of Andra Paris Mamani's mother.

Isidro Guachalla, 60 years old, Antonio Tola Lima, 66 years old and another neighbor of Belén Iquiaca pray around the coffin.

8. Isidro Guachalla, 60 years old, Antonio Tola Lima, 66 years old and another neighbor of Belén Iquiaca pray around the coffin.

Sofia, 19 years old, in the Bethlehem cemetery while her brother buries.

9. Sofia, 19 years old, in the Bethlehem cemetery while her brother buries.

Isidro Guachalla, 60 years old, digs the grave of the baby of Andrea Paris Mamani.

10. Isidro Guachalla, 60 years old, digs the grave of the baby of Andrea Paris Mamani.

Isidro Guachalla, 60 years old, Antonio Tola Lima, 66 years old, two neighbors and four daughters of Andrea Paris Mamani, Sofía 19, Segundina 12, Iliana 8 and Crisilda 6 rest near the cemetery.

11. Isidro Guachalla, 60 years old, Antonio Tola Lima, 66 years old, two neighbors and four daughters of Andrea Paris Mamani, Sofía 19, Segundina 12, Iliana 8 and Crisilda 6 rest near the cemetery.

Grave of the baby of Andrea Paris Mamani, buried on September 23.

12. Grave of the baby of Andrea Paris Mamani, buried on September 23.

Storm over the town of Patacamaya.

13. Storm over the town of Patacamaya.

Silvia Aliaga, 19 years old. 39 weeks pregnant at her home in Paracamaya.

14. Silvia Aliaga, 19 years old. 39 weeks pregnant at her home in Paracamaya.

Zenobia Mamani Ramos, 38 years old. 38 weeks pregnant, in the kitchen of her house.

15. Zenobia Mamani Ramos, 38 years old. 38 weeks pregnant, in the kitchen of her house.

Midwife Leonarda Quispe Rojas, 60, in the traditional medicine laboratory at her home. Patacamaya Clinic.

16. Midwife Leonarda Quispe Rojas, 60, in the traditional medicine laboratory at her home. Patacamaya Clinic.

Midwife Leonarda Quispe Rojas, 60, in the traditional medicine laboratory at her home.

17. Midwife Leonarda Quispe Rojas, 60, in the traditional medicine laboratory at her home.

The midwife Leonarda Quispe Rojas, 60 years old, massages Zenobia Mamani Ramos, 38 years old, 38 weeks pregnant at home.

18. The midwife Leonarda Quispe Rojas, 60 years old, massages Zenobia Mamani Ramos, 38 years old, 38 weeks pregnant at home.

Lidia Mamani Lima, 40, is assisted by midwife Josefa Wanka Ramirez in the cultural adaptation room of the Patacamaya hospital, a few insantes before giving birth.

19. Lidia Mamani Lima, 40, is assisted by midwife Josefa Wanka Ramirez in the cultural adaptation room of the Patacamaya hospital, a few insantes before giving birth.

A traditional doctor gathers plants to prepare natural medicines for a meeting of doctors in Callapa.

20. A traditional doctor gathers plants to prepare natural medicines for a meeting of doctors in Callapa.

Margarita Guarachi, 34, in the cultural adaptation room of the Coro Coro hospital. At her side, her husband Pedro Orcori, 23, and Dr. Roger Velazquez, 47, along with the midwife Marta.

21. Margarita Guarachi, 34, in the cultural adaptation room of the Coro Coro hospital. At her side, her husband Pedro Orcori, 23, and Dr. Roger Velazquez, 47, along with the midwife Marta.

Ceferina Siñani Chiparer, 31 years old, giving birth in the cultural adaptation room of the Patacamaya hospital with the help of medical personnel. Her son Jose Armando, 12 years old, watches.

22. Ceferina Siñani Chiparer, 31 years old, giving birth in the cultural adaptation room of the Patacamaya hospital with the help of medical personnel. Her son Jose Armando, 12 years old, watches.

Ceferina Siñani Chiparer, 31 years old, giving birth in the cultural adaptation room of the Patacamaya hospital with the help of medical personnel. Her son Jose Armando, 12 years old, watches.

23. Ceferina Siñani Chiparer, 31 years old, giving birth in the cultural adaptation room of the Patacamaya hospital with the help of medical personnel. Her son Jose Armando, 12 years old, watches.

The baby of Lidia Mamani Lima, 40 years old, born in the cultural adaptation room of the Patacamaya hospital,

24. The baby of Lidia Mamani Lima, 40 years old, born in the cultural adaptation room of the Patacamaya hospital,

A woman walks on the tracks in Paracamaya.

25. A woman walks on the tracks in Paracamaya.

A typical house in the mountains, next to the town of Coro Coro.

26. A typical house in the mountains, next to the town of Coro Coro.

Elsa Quispe Matías de Fila with her baby one day after delivery. Elsa had the baby at home with the help of her husband Eduardo Fila Apaza because she did not trust the hospital doctor. He has five other children, all born at home.

27. Elsa Quispe Matías de Fila with her baby one day after delivery. Elsa had the baby at home with the help of her husband Eduardo Fila Apaza because she did not trust the hospital doctor. He has five other children, all born at home.

Zenobia Mamani Ramos, 38 years old, rests at home a few days after giving birth.

28. Zenobia Mamani Ramos, 38 years old, rests at home a few days after giving birth.

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Work grant edition 2012

Olmo Calvo

Wawachaña, births on the roof of the world

Presentation

Bolivia has one of the highest percentages of maternal and infant mortality in Latin America. In 2013, 230 women and 36 babies died for every 100,000 live births. One of the main causes of maternal death is bleeding during childbirth. That’s because many women give birth at home without medical conditions. There is a high percentage of the population that relies on biomedical medicine and does not go to hospitals to monitor their pregnancy and give birth. But for some years now, in some hospitals, they have created rooms conditioned according to indigenous traditions, where doctors and midwives work together so that women who do not trust biomedical medicine go to hospitals. Thanks to measures like this, the percentage of maternal and infant deaths has decreased in the last three years.

Biography

Olmo Calvo born in Santander (Cantabria, Spain) in 1982, he is currently based in Madrid.

In 2004 he was one of the founding members of the newspaper Diagonal, taking charge of coordinating photography. In 2005 he was one of the founding members of the photographers cooperative SUB in Buenos Aires (Argentina). With the SUB cooperative he won different international awards such as the 2009 Cuenca Art Biennial (Ecuador) or several awards at the 2010 and 2012 Pictures of the Year Latam. In 2012 he was awarded the first prize at the XVI International Luis Valtueña Photography Awards with a series about evictions in Madrid.

In recent years he has been documenting the crisis in Spain, doing reports such as “Fronteras Invisibles”, “Víctimas de los Desahucios”, “No Job Land” or “Los Que Se Quedan”. In 2013 he took part in the International Photojournalism Festival PhotON of Valencia as well as in the Barcelona Documentary Photography Circuit and the International Photojournalism Festival of Gijón. In 2014 he was awarded the ABC International Journalism Award “Mingote”, an Honorable Mention at the National Photojournalism Awards (Spain) and the award Desalambre for video-journalism. In 2015 he received the third prize at the Pictures of the Year Latam awards under the category “individual images of everyday life”.

He is currently working freelance for national and international media.