The Cardboard House

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) is anninternational humanitarian organization,ncommitted to providing medical assistance tonpopulations in danger and to raising awarenessnof the plight of the people they help. Today MSFnis active in more than 60 countries in the More…nworld.nMSF has been working in Peru since 1985.nIn Peru, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS is low, butnhighest amongst the most neglected membersnof society there, mainly homosexual men andncommercial sex workers. Since 2004, MSF hasnoffered HIV/AIDS care in the slum of Villa ElnSalvador, Lima.nIn Lima, MSF has been working innLurigancho, one of the most populated prisonsnof Latin America. In this prison the risk ofncontracting HIV/AIDS is 5 to 7 times higher thannin the rest of the country.nAt the end of 2007 MSF hand over all Peruviannprojects to local authorities, leaving the countrynafter almost 25 years.nLarry Towell (Magnum Photos) wasncommissioned by MSF to travel to the prisonnand the slums in Lima to photograph the resultnof MSF s 25-year presence, and show that thenarea is now ready to continue its fight againstnHIV and AIDS on its own.nTowell brings us black and white imagesnof people shunned by society and desperatenthrough poverty, their situation exacerbatednthrough the endemic HIV and AIDS in theirnalready marginalised population. MSF hasntargeted their cause for the past 25 years.nThis book is a celebration of their work andnthe people whose existence they have salvaged.