The story behind the photo of a child robbed of his food

A photograph taken in Sudan in 1998 captured the tragedy of famine in all its severity. This shot was taken by renowned photographer Tom Stoddart.

The photo shows a child who had been waiting in line for a long time to receive a small amount of food aid. He was weakened by hunger, and his body was severely emaciated.

According to the photographer, the child was crawling on the ground with a bag of corn in his hands. At that moment, a man passed by him, took the bag, and quickly walked away.

Stoddart captured the child's gaze at that exact moment on his camera. The boy was left looking at the person who had taken his food. This scene illustrates the conditions in which ordinary people lived in Sudan at that time.

A civil war was ongoing in Sudan during that period. The war between the Islamic government and the Sudan People's Liberation Army had left the country in a dire situation.

Delivering aid to regions with scarce water and food supplies had become difficult. Due to the war, humanitarian aid routes were blocked, and the famine intensified.

It is estimated that more than 100,000 people died in Sudan in the first half of 1998.