The first “hands-free”, the great invention of the baby carrier

In Benin, rural women are frequently the only source of income available and solely responsible for producing, harvesting, cooking and distributing food for themselves and their family, in spite of which public planning policies do not revert on them. Almost half the inhabitants of Benin are under 18 and in total, 37% of under 5s present retarded longitudinal growth, those in the country being more affected than those in cities (47% and 36% respectively).

In the picture, a woman with a baby on her back cooks with coal using a small metal brazier to save part of the effort of going to fetch firewood; the hut has a vegetable roof and a raised structure for keeping food away from animals. The washing hanging out reminds us of their contribution to managing water and family hygiene