Children of Zumalai (pt. 2)

The median age in Australia is 37. In Timor Leste it is 21. More than one third of the population are under the age of 14. Many of these children have been orphaned by disease and war.

Richard Pendavingh Oct. 5, 2009 05:17 pm

Kids from the village of Zumalai pose for the camera.

The people of Zumalai gather water every day from one main spring, the water quality of which varies throughout the year as runoff during the wet season takes bacteria and human and animal waste into the water supply. In addition to typhus and other waterborne diseases the people of Zumalai have to contend with outbreaks of vector-borne infectious diseases like dengue and malaria. 65% of the population has tuberculosis.

The brown streaks in the hair of children like Rosa (above) are a result of protein deficiency in their diet.