23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
Housing Dreams

A pair of eyes peer over the roof of a cardboard estate. Captured at a security checkpoint in southeastern Nigeria, this young artisan sells handmade model houses to travelers passing through. The image highlights the contrast between the miniature luxury he carries and the harsh reality of the dusty roadside—a child holding a dream of stability that is physically close, yet economically distant.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 04.2024
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Anambra, Nigeria
Camera: NIKON D3500
Copyright: © Adeboye Malumi