In the historic port of Batavia, Jakarta, life is all about survival. Amid huge wooden ships and piles of goods, a man stands in worn slippers, a silent reminder of the inequality that pervades this place. His face betrays weariness, but also determination. For him, every day is a battle against gravity, the weight of cargo and the burden of an unfair world.
At a time when ports around the world are modernising, here everything remains artisanal and heavy. His clothes are plain, his slippers barely suited to the rough planks and sharp edges of the ships. Yet he carries on, as his family waits at home for today's earnings.
The port is a paradox: a place full of activity and trade, but where workers' lives hardly change. While ships leave with valuable cargoes, those who load them are left in poverty.
The man in the slippers symbolises resilience and survival instinct. He carries not only the burdens of the port, but also those of his life, in a world that offers only small opportunities for him. His story is that of millions of others in Jakarta, invisible but indispensable.
I am Kim Stijger, a passionate photographer from Nieuwegein, with a strong focus on sports and motorsport photography. My love for capturing movement and action comes out best in the dynamic world of sports, where I know how to capture the tension and emotion of the moment... Read more…