National Geographic's Best of the Decade

A note from our founder, Stephanie Sinclair: As we approach 2020, I am deeply moved to have my image of Yemeni girls Tehani and Ghada with their husbands and was selected as one National Geographic's “Best of the Decade” gallery.


This portrait was part of a June 2011 National Geographic article and then prominently featured in a global United Nations anti-child-marriage campaign spanning more than 25 countries. The UN and the US now define protection from coerced early marriage as a basic human right. This image was made in 2010. Sadly, a decade later two-thirds of girls in Yemen are married before they reach 18 due to the ongoing conflict.


Tehani (in pink) is also the namesake of our Tehani Photo Workshops, which empower former child brides to tell their own stories through photography. TYTW also works in Sana'a, Yemen through our school breakfast program, which enables young girls to stay in school and out of marriage. Please consider being part of the solution by supporting our work (link in bio) empowering young survivors and preventing other girls from facing the same fate.