23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
Venice of Africa

A young girl watches over her little brother, who sleeps peacefully in a fishing net turned into a cradle. Their floating home, like many others scattered across the Makoko Lagoon, rests suspended between water and sky, between dreams and survival. Despite the polluted waters and the challenges of daily life, life here carries on, guided by a deep sense of family and community. Makoko is known as the world’s largest floating settlement, home to more than two hundred thousand people who each day seek balance between tradition and hope.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 09.2023
Date Uploaded: 10.2025
Photo Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Copyright: © Mauro De Bettio