Massimo Berruti is the second winner of the Carmignac Gestion Prize of Photojournalism, which was launched last year and is aimed at professional photojournalists to develop a project is a specific area of the world.

This year, the prize called for photographers to work in Pashtunistan, a region at the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Berruti will be focusing on the Swat valley, paying particular attention to the everyday life of the Lashkars, a civilian militia that is battling the Talibans with the support of the Pakistani army.

"This is an incredible win, first of all this is the second edition of the price, then of course this is one of the most generous grants in the world," Berruti tells BJP. "Such an amount of money really allows me to finance my future projects. But that's not all, there is also a big exhibition planned for November and a book. They are investing a lot on my work."

Berruti believes it's important to tell the Lashkars's stories. "They are wrongly considered to be violent and ruthless, while in fact, this people shows an incredible and spontaneous engagement for their society as a whole," he says. "They are on the frontline, without receiving any salary or any compensation if they die, they fully donate themselves to the others, to maintain the peace, to protect their loved ones and their neighbours. This behaviour does not characterise ruthless people.

For more on Berruti's work, visit the Agence Vu' website.