Just Mothers

  • Dates
    2013 - 2014
  • Author
  • Topics Portrait, Daily Life, Documentary

A story of two young single mothers in the suburbs of Buenos Aires.

Dai, 21 and Stefi, 20, grew up in Monte Chingolo, a slum in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, Argentina. They are friends and they are mothers. Sometimes they are single-mothers, sometimes they try to bring back family-life. They were still teenagers , when they both gave birth to a baby-girl. Their story is about their daily struggle to survive, the intent to provide a better future for their daughters, to finish school and work at the same time, to build a house and to protect them from the so present violence and poverty that surrounds them. It's a story of sacrifice, of friendship, but most of all, it's a story of love, the unconditional love of a mother to her daughter.

This series was awarded with the 3. Prize in the Picture of the Year (POY) Latam 2015.

© Sarah Pabst - Daiana (left) and Stefi at Stefi's house in Monte Chingolo, Lanús, Province of Buenos Aires.
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Daiana (left) and Stefi at Stefi's house in Monte Chingolo, Lanús, Province of Buenos Aires.

© Sarah Pabst - Dai and Maite, her daughter.
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Dai and Maite, her daughter.

© Sarah Pabst - Dai, Maite, Mia and Stefi at the zoo in Palermo, Buenos Aires. It was the first time Dai has ever been to a zoo in her life.
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Dai, Maite, Mia and Stefi at the zoo in Palermo, Buenos Aires. It was the first time Dai has ever been to a zoo in her life.

© Sarah Pabst - Maite with a doll during a visit with her mother at Stefi's place.
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Maite with a doll during a visit with her mother at Stefi's place.

© Sarah Pabst - Stefi, Dai's halfsister Marianela, Maite and Mia at Daiana's old place in Monte Chingolo
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Stefi, Dai's halfsister Marianela, Maite and Mia at Daiana's old place in Monte Chingolo

© Sarah Pabst - Image from the Just Mothers photography project
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Dai smokes a cigarette before a trial. She was innocently accused of attempted murder while she was actually the victim. She spent three month in jail without her daughter before the trial even started where she was beaten up several times. The judges declared her innocent and the two sisters who accused her are to be judged because of false testimony.

© Sarah Pabst - Sometimes love finds it's way again into the life of the girls. Dai and Fernando.
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Sometimes love finds it's way again into the life of the girls. Dai and Fernando.

© Sarah Pabst - Daiana's old place in Monte Chingolo.
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Daiana's old place in Monte Chingolo.

© Sarah Pabst - Stefi and Dai take a selfie at a diner
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Stefi and Dai take a selfie at a diner

© Sarah Pabst - Dai and her ex-boyfriend and father of Maite hold a baby of a neighbor while Maite gets jealous
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Dai and her ex-boyfriend and father of Maite hold a baby of a neighbor while Maite gets jealous

© Sarah Pabst - Stefi smokes a cigarette on the street in Monte Chingolo, while Maite and Mia play together.
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Stefi smokes a cigarette on the street in Monte Chingolo, while Maite and Mia play together.

© Sarah Pabst - Image from the Just Mothers photography project
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Dai holds up Maite in their new small house in Florencio Varela. It's the first time they have a place for themselves and a garden, so there's no more danger of big streets nearby.

© Sarah Pabst - Image from the Just Mothers photography project
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Dai's sister Mika comforts her before the trial for attempted homicide. If she had been declared guilty, she would have gone to jail for up to 15 years. She was declared innocent and the sisters who accused her are to be judged for false testimony. Dai spend three month while actually being the victim in jail in Batan, Province of Buenos Aires.

© Sarah Pabst - Stefi and Dai laugh at Mia's first birthday party.
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Stefi and Dai laugh at Mia's first birthday party.

© Sarah Pabst - Stefi takes a break while cooking and let's the sun comfort her face in Monte Chingolo, Lanús, Province of Buenos Aires.
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Stefi takes a break while cooking and let's the sun comfort her face in Monte Chingolo, Lanús, Province of Buenos Aires.

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