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Problemas de desempleo / Unemployment Problems (Photo: Martin Melaugh)

Surrounded by daily life in a poor community, a narrative of unemployment and poverty unfolds in the interior views of the foreground, from left to right. A man feels overwhelmed at home by his family’s pleading for money to support themselves, due to economic hardships. His young daughter asks for bread, as there is not enough money for food.

He leaves with a friend to a small bar where they drink away their worries, until he is so drunk he cannot stand. Thus, the cycle of poverty gets worse, as he is spending what little money there is, potentially treading the path towards addiction and worsening his chances of finding a job.

His story is complicated, as losing the status of breadwinner was often difficult for men, who based much of their identity on providing for their families. Loss of employment and income often took away the men’s sense of purpose, impacting their ability to cope with hard times. (HM0425)

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