After a short delay in running V3 for personal reasons, I’m really pleased to announce that it will now be underway in January 2018.
The project will be taking place in and around the towns of Kiniogo, Katuna and Rubaare Working with a group of vulnerable children, whose mothers are sex workers in these areas.
The children are under the supervision of an organisation that specialises in the care and wellbeing of their mothers – the sex workers (FSW). The organisation aims to ensure that the women are safe, looked after and their health is maintained.
Naturally a percentage of the women have tested positive for HIV, along with some of the children. However, with the drugs currently being offered their health is monitored by the organisation and to some extent they can maintain the lifestyle they need/require.
In January I will be working with a group of around 15 young children, where I will teach photography to the group, setting the children the objective of taking some photographs of their life and telling the story of what life in Uganda means for them.
They will have the opportunity to shoot a collection of images which will hopefully encompass their feelings, emotions and life challenges.
The project isn’t just about taking photographs, it is about providing an opportunity for a section of society in this region of Uganda to challenge themselves, using new technology (relatively speaking) to gain new skills and to have aspirations that would otherwise not be possible.
For some, the project may offer ‘a way out’, while for others it may offer the opportunity to learn a new skill and, ultimately a chance to develop that skill, or quite simply it may just offer an alternative form of learning and entertainment.
The culmination of V3 will see a mini exhibition at the offices of the FSW in Katuna, along with prints given to the children.
Upon returning to the UK I will be exhibiting their images, alongside a set of portraits of the women.
The children’s images will form the basis of the story and will include a small bio from each child.
The venue has yet to be found….
What about Eden School?……
Naturally, I will be paying a visit to Eden School – where, thanks to so many of you, so much great work has taken place over the last three years.
Although, as previously mentioned I am not directly running Give a Child a Camera at the school, I am keen to develop their camera loan system as well as fund their music and visual art programme.
You may remember, on my previous visit I took a lovely donated full sized keyboard and, thanks to funding, paid for a music teacher – well, I’m pleased to say, Aubrey, the young music teacher has still been returning to the school (even though he was only paid for 9 months) to teach the children. I plan to use a small amount of the funding to pay for Aubrey to attend the school until the end of term 2018 – where he will continue to teach some of the children at Eden once a week. I believe this is so important to the wellbeing of the children and provides them with a fabulous skill.
As ever, thank you for your support for the project and if you happen to have any old cameras, spare change or a used laptop you would like to donate to the project, then please get in touch.
Please keep your eyes peeled for an update on my return.
Give a Child a Camera 