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PHOTOGRAPHER: Maria Francesca Avila
Maria Francesca Avila was awarded a third prize (photos catagory) in a youth photography and writing competition, launched by the Thomson Reuters Foundation in partnership with Transparency International (TI) to mark the 20th anniversary of TI, one of one of the world’s leading anti-corruption organisations. We asked young people between the ages of 18 and 30 to depict corruption and how to combat it. The competition was judged by Thomson Reuters Foundation, Transparency International and professional journalists and photographers.
In her words: “I am involved in outreach programmes that often allow me to travel into the remotest parts of the country. And it is during these travels that I encounter and witness the hardships faced by some of my countrymen and women due to a lack of support from the government.”
Maria Francesca Avila, 25, is a software developer for an international company based in the Philippines. She began taking photographs when friends invited her to join their camera club. She likes travel photography, documenting the places she visits and the people she meets, and experiencing the different cultures.