23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
The Little Stallkeeper

By a rural roadside in Gamboma, Congo, a tiny child tends to his family’s cassava stall—roots stacked on a simple wooden table. The scene captures the gentle resilience of childhood here: young hands caring for what matters, even at an early age.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 05.2025
Date Uploaded: 09.2025
Photo Location: Gamboma, Congo
Copyright: © PENG CHEN