Each year, thousands of minors are trafficked with in Africa: they are sold by their families for ridiculous amounts and the vague promise of a supposedly better life. This results in slavery, physical and psychological abuse, endless working hours and long-time separation from their homes and families. What happens after a child has escaped slavery? How can a broken childhood be repaired? Is there an exit? Yes, there is a "back door," successfully found, opened and crossed by some of those children in Western Africa, the area with the highest child exploitation rate in the world. Photo-journalist Ana Palacios delves into this "back door" in a touching book where every photograph is the story and the name of a child trying to leave exploitation behind. In the words of Chema Conesa, "Child slavery has kept our photographer awake and has cemented her commitment to her trade, to bear witness. The rigour of her goal has led her to travel throughout the African continent and translate into images a problem that affect us all, as far away as it may seem from our comfortable, everyday order." 80 images
