An activist stands upon a giant stump and stares toward the remaining forest. In the Styx Valley of Tunisia. Photo by Matthew Newton for Huon Environmental Center.

Huon Valley Environment Centre

Located in Southern Tasmania’s woodchipping heartland in the town of Huonville, the Huon Valley Environment Centre stands against incredible odds and is a brave beacon to the community.

Huon Valley Environment Centre campaigns for Tasmania’s threatened World Heritage value southern forests.

Huon Valley Environment Centre is a not-for-profit volunteer run organization in Southern Tasmania which campaigns for the protection of Tasmania’s wild places and promotes sustainable living.

For over eight years the Huon Valley Environment Centre has been a campaign group in the long running debate to protect Tasmania’s ancient forests. Established in 2001, the centre’s activities include forest campaigns, herb health and organic expos, and art exhibitions.

In the Louisiana marshlands, oil was washing onshore and destroying the surrounding marsh grass, which was home to hundreds of birds. Photo by Kris Krug for Gulf Restoration Network.

Gulf Restoration Network

The Gulf Restoration Network is committed to uniting and empowering people to protect and restore the natural resources of the Gulf Region for future generations.

The GRN’s vision is that the Gulf of Mexico will continue to be a natural, economic, and recreational resource that is central to the culture and heritage of five states and three nations. The people of the region will be stewards of this vital but imperiled treasure, and they will assume the responsibility of returning the Gulf to its previous splendor.

The GRN works to provide technical support and mentoring to grassroots groups, to connect our members to developments on national and regional issues of importance to their work, and to provide coordination, when needed, of member activities across the region.

In late August, the Kosi River in India overflowed its banks in the state of Bihar after severe monsoon rains caused a dam to burst in neighboring Nepal, triggering what officials are calling the worst floods in 50 years. A flood-affected woman tries to escape from her submerged village in ARARIA district. Photography by Giulio Di Sturco for PCI.

PCI

PCI is a nonprofit health and humanitarian aid organization dedicated to preventing disease, improving community health, and promoting sustainable development worldwide.

Motivated by our concern for the world’s most vulnerable children, families and communities, PCI envisions a world where abundant resources are shared, communities are able to provide for the health and well-being of their members, and children and families can achieve lives of hope, good health and self-sufficiency.

In many parts of the developing world, there is a growing awareness of the vulnerability of populations to man-made and natural disasters. Without well-targeted assistance, even a small emergency can have devastating and long-term effects on children and their families their health, their livelihoods, and access to clean water and sanitation, food, and housing. PCI is committed to preventing and alleviating human suffering by providing relief to people affected by disasters and complex emergencies.

The parents of this girl are nursery workers and have create a lovely garden at their home from discarded plants. Photography by Laura Valencia for Toxic Free NC.

Toxic Free NC

Toxic pesticides are over-used in North Carolina and around the world, polluting our food, water and our bodies. Toxic Free NC fights pesticide pollution in North Carolina by advocating for common-sense alternatives that protect our health and environment. We are an independent 501(c)3 non-profit organization — North Carolina’s only organization working to put people before pesticides.

Toxic Free NC’s one simple goal is to get rid of pesticide pollution, in our water, our food and our bodies. We work together with those who care about the environment and our health.

Make every day Earth Day! Become involved with one of these amazing organizations or visit the Earth Day Network website to find ways to make an impact in your own community.

PhotoPhilanthropy is excited to announce the recipient of our first round of our Student Production Grants, Bethany Mollenkof, student at Western Kentucky University. To alleviate the up-front costs faced by students working with non-profits, we are offering five $1,000 grants in 2011 to student-non-profit collaborations so that non-profit storytelling may be advanced through visual imagery.

Our first round was focused on non-profits doing work, “In Your Community.”  We wanted to emphasize that you don’t have to travel the world because there are great stories in your own backyard.

While the judges where impressed with the quality and diversity of submissions received, Bethany’s essay rose to the top. The judges thought Bethany’s experience with the subject matter and her plan for coverage were important to the success of the project.  The images she submitted to represent her work were intimate and showed an understanding of story telling. Her idea of teaching photography to the students as well as documenting their lives spoke to her strong commitment to their story. You can learn more about Bethany’s proposed photo essay below.

Brained High School hosts the Annual Battle of the Bands. Briana Crawford, 17, captain of the Tiger Pride, talks with friends. Photo by Bethany Mollenkof.

Project Description: Document students participating in the “Giving Hope” program created by the Bowling Green Noon Rotary club. The fund provides full college scholarships for members of the Parker Bennett Elementary school 5th grade class who complete high school.

PP: What motivated you to work with the organization? How is this subject and/or organization important to you?

BM: I have always been interested in the factors that contribute to the development of children within their communities, specifically how education factors into the growth of a child. I have worked as a mentor in the inner city and have seen the struggles the children face first hand. I was attracted to the Rotary Club because of the generosity it has shown through the “Giving Hope” program. I am documenting these kids to see how their dreams for their lives look in comparison to the reality of their situations and how the “Giving Hope” program could change their lives. I have been teaching the children about story telling and have given them video cameras to help tell their own stories. My hope is to show the importance of community involvement through the Noon Rotary Club and the direct positive impact they can have on their community.

PP: In what ways will the non-profit organization use your images? In what ways will you facilitate this usage?

BM: I would like to provide the Rotary Club with all of my images and short documentary to establish a website to promote future programs similar to that of the “Giving Hope” program. The images also can be used in future fundraisers for the Rotary Club.

Farhiya Mada, 10, rests her arms while playing with her siblings outside of her South St. Louis home. Her family came to St. Louis from Somalia in 2002. Photo by Bethany Mollenkof.

PP: What do you intend to do with your photography education? What are your career aspirations following school?

BM: I am fascinated by the process of being and becoming therefore I document life to understand the living. My passion lies in storytelling because we must tell stories to live. By using multiple mediums in creative and interesting ways to tell stories all people can relate to each other. I aspire to work for non-profits and NGO’s aiding in telling stories that can help those in need and promote change in the way people see each other. I believe that all people have inherent value and the best way to promote a better world is to facilitate common ground through stories. I would like to return to graduate school to study documentary film making after completing my undergraduate work.

Congratulations Bethany and thanks to all of the students photographers that submitted to the first round of our Student Production Grants!

The next student grant round opens on May 16th and is focused on the environment and animal welfare. Partnering non-profits may be focused on environmental issues such as awareness and conservation, environmental justice, sustainability, environmental responsibility or animal welfare. Full guidelines are available here and the 2011 grant schedule is available here.

Photo by David Rees.

Kathleen Hennessy is PhotoPhilanthropy’s Activist Awards Director. She recently visited outstanding photojournalism programs to discuss the power of photography to make social change.

I recently returned from a trip to some of the best photojournalism schools in the U. S. to spread the word about PhotoPhilanthropy and our new student grants.

The schools were: Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY., Ohio University in Athens, OH., and the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO.

There’s something inspiring about being on a college campus. It’s refreshing to see people that are ready to launch their careers and are passionate about the possibilities. I couldn’t help but think about all the knowledge that’s been passed from generation to generation.

From Chuck Scott, who created the photojournalism program at Ohio University and whose son-in-law, Terry Eiler runs it today. Clift Edom and Angus McDougal at Mizzou who passed the baton to David Rees. And Mike Morse at Western Kentucky, which is now directed by James Kenney.

But knowledge goes in both directions, students teach as much as they learn. At least that has been my experience. As I spoke and listened to students, I was reminded again how their questions force you to reflect on your own beliefs. Does photojournalism make a difference? Can you truly be objective?

Photo by Bryan Anselm.

So, my belief is YES, photography does make a difference. But it must be shared and have something to say. Can you be truly objective? NO, we are human and we make judgments every minute and those judgments are based on our history. But we can be open and honest about what we see and present our point of view.

I sat with many students and saw some impressive work. Not only are they making poignant pictures but they are using audio and video to make their stories come alive. They are becoming storytellers and they do want to make a difference.

One student, Bryan Anselm from Western Kentucky University, shared his story about his work with the non-profit, 4OneWorld in Uganda.

I read a news article about a group of children that were abducted by the LRA, brought to Southern Sudan and turned into child soldiers.

I was interested in meeting them more then photographing them. I wanted to understand what that was like. You read the article and you get a few quotes but you don’t get an idea of who they are, what they look like and what they are feeling.

The story didn’t have anything to do with an NGO, but I assumed there were NGOs that helped these kids rehabilitate. So, I emailed 30-40 NGOs and one returned my message. They brought these kids to Kampala, Uganda and helped to educate them.

Photo by Bryan Anselm.

The NGO is 4OneWorld and is based in Kalamazoo, Michigan. They didn’t have the resources to go with me or to send me, but said they could give me contacts if I went. So, I had to find money elsewhere. Some came from the University (Western Kentucky) some came from the Alexia Foundation and my credit card.  The hard part is the plane ticket, once you get the ticket you can stay and live for nearly nothing.

I’ve never been to a place like this, but the people were incredibly helpful. Once you spent some time with them it was relatively easy to gain their trust. They were curious about America. They love Obama and wanted to know about him and if I’ve met him.  So when you open up and talk to them about your life, they open and tell you about theirs.

The project had an impact on me. It’s difficult to see people in these situations and place the world together that way. It’s hard to come back to the America and understand why I can go to school everyday, why I can eat everyday while they wonder if they are going to have food for dinner or if they’ll be able to get to work.

My hope is that my work will show that it’s so easy to help someone there. Just $110 can give someone a secondary education and then to be able to go to college and advance themselves.

They don’t just need help; they deserve help.

Now that is a point of view.

Poverty: The child of a beekeeper for Honey Care Africa, a social enterprise that helps lift poor rural families out of poverty through income generating bee-farms.

Most everyone knows what poverty looks like. They’ve either seen it in photographs, documentaries, or on the nightly news; witnessed it first hand walking through the streets of Mumbai, Mexico City, or Kampala, or even out the window of their van on spring break in Costa Rica; or, for over half of the world’s population, they’ve seen it because they live it every single day.

While spending a week in Nairobi, Kenya recently, I was reflecting on just how powerful the city and people of Nairobi have become. Yes, I saw dire poverty while working in slums of Kibera, in the neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city, and even within the city itself, as newspaper vendors and others hustled to make a few shillings. However, I wasn’t focusing on that at the moment. I was thinking about the small business men and women in Kibera making something out of nothing. I was immersed in the technology and innovations emerging from places like the iHub, the Kenyan diaspora returning after working or studying abroad to build the companies and the future of their own country, and the remarkable ambition, resilience and drive I felt in each of my encounters with the people of Nairobi. I was creating a narrative in my head—despite the widespread poverty, the lack of infrastructure and the political corruption, the city has so much untapped human potential waiting to be unlocked, and so many Kenyans hungry to thrust their country even further into the international spotlight.

One Saturday night, I was at a hip Nairobi nightclub teeming with young Kenyans, expats, and everything in between. I ran into a short and frail Indian-ancestored Kenyan in his early thirties with a bushy mustache and glasses. In bold letters taking up the entire frontside of his shirt read, “Your Pity Is No Longer Required”. I didn’t see the back, or the context, but I had seen enough.

The time for pity is over. The African narrative of the past few decades—pictures and videos of fly-covered street children with dirt-clotted snot dripping off their face standing next to plastic bags full of human excrement floating through flooded slums, and other horrendous images of poverty, stories of development failure and disaster—is due for an upgrade.

Potential: A Honey Care Africa Beekeeper.

Yes, these stories and images highlight crucial problems and properly serve their function as photojournalistic tools to understand the context of a situation or as compelling imagery used to attract aid money to thousands of NGO’s that depend on it. But many times, they simply show a one-sided story—one that doesn’t reflect the hope, power, and potential of emerging countries on the edge of something bigger. These images of poverty are now shape the western perspectives of entire developing countries, not just those in poverty living in them.

Young students studying international development, globalization, and histories of the developing world in high school or college need a new perspective. No longer can the west display one-sided images or narratives of poverty, when these global centers such as Nairobi, Rio de Janeiro, Mumbai, and elsewhere are not only booming centers of business and innovation, but are birthing prime competition for upcoming generations.

Yes, these stories of developing nations need to be told. But if we want to do it in a healthy, productive, and most importantly progressive manner, we need to begin documenting potential, and not just poverty. By showcasing the potential, you highlight the dire issues and crises that people are facing, but at the same time you offer solutions, and show the power, will and passion of young people that will help them rise out of their situations and overcome their current boundaries.

By sharing inspiring stories of social entrepreneurs, social businesses and enterprises or simply young entrepreneurs in the developing world who are building their own futures, one can move from the common mistake of simply documenting “poverty” towards documenting “progress” and “potential”.

The first year anniversary of the iHub, a homegrown technology center in Nairobi that serves as an incubator for tech-based startups, innovators, and enthusiasts. Sponsored by Google, Nokia, and countless others.

Yet, it’s easier said than done. An image of a hungry, fly-covered child in an African slum is compelling. It forces us to stop, think, reflect upon our situation and how we may be able to offer what we have to make a difference. It makes us realize what we have been given in life, and how others in the world are struggling just to have a life. From a photographer’s perspective, these images are beautiful in that they help painfully capture the stark contrast of the human condition around the planet. They are effective in making a statement about the horrendous conditions some people are unjustly subject to. Lastly, they are powerful tools to help illustrate a larger story.

That is what an image of “poverty” can do and represent. But what about an image of “potential”? I have spent 8 months photographing social enterprises across east Africa, and in most cases I try to capture the “potential” of these sustainable approaches to poverty and the potential of social entrepreneurs to have a widespread impact through business models and entrepreneurs.

How do you get an image of Ronald, a solar entrepreneur for a company called Barefoot Solar, giving a solar demonstration to a village, to have a widespread impact and get people to stop and think? How do you create compelling photographs of a company that is transforming the lives of poor rural farmers by helping them start income-generating bee farms? Sure, you can get some beautiful and striking images, but none that, standing by themselves, can capture a story in one photograph like the photo of a child in the slums.

At this point in my journey, I don’t have any answers. What I’ve learned, however, is that in the case of documenting “potential”, the words and stories become much more important. For a photographer in a visual-media rich culture, this can be an obstacle. Alone the photos would hardly offer a story, but the text gives appropriate context to the photographs. All I can say is that I’m constantly trying and I encourage others to try as well. Please, share your thoughts with the community on how you may be going about documenting and discovering stories about “potential” over “poverty”.

What approaches, in terms of documentation or presentation are there that are working in the field of highlighting the potential of these countries? What examples have you seen? How is the media adapting (if they are) to a new “potential”-centric perspective on development?

For donors, concerned citizens, and and those not involved in capturing these stories, but instead reading and disseminating them, I have very simple advice. Start by moving your pity aside. Instead of donating out of pity, begin investing in hope. Begin searching for the stories, images, and narratives that reflect a country moving forward, not a backwards place in need of salvation. It may take more reading, deeper digging, and a more open mind, but it will help change things for the better, I promise.

Photojournalist and (aspiring) social entrepreneur Jonathan Kalan shares stories from his experience documenting social enterprises across East Africa. Last year, he founded The (BoP) Project, to discover, document and share stories of remarkable social entrepreneurs, enterprises and innovations that are redefining poverty alleviation. Through visual journalism and media, he hopes to teach people about the growing “Base of the Pyramid” movement and the viable alternatives to traditional aid.

Nancy Farese and Liz Hale are in Vietnam and Cambodia on a PhotoPhilanthropy trip, shooting with a variety of NGOs. They photographed for several days with Room to Read, a global organization dedicated to global literacy and girls’ education.

Once we landed in Ho Chi Minh City, we were met by An Nhien, a Communications Officer with Room to Read. We then immediately headed south to the Mekong River Delta Province of Vinh Long to photograph the libraries and meet some of the girls in the education programs of Room to Read.

With a history marred by warfare and poverty, it has been challenging for Vietnam to develop an effective educational infrastructure.  33% of the population is under the age of fifteen and over half of the country’s students do not continue on to secondary school. It is not uncommon to find schools that are in disrepair with outdated teaching materials, and teachers that have not been qualified as required. In order to address the lack of educational infrastructure, Room to Read (RtR) has developed a comprehensive program that includes building schools, establishing libraries, and scholarships through the Girls Education Program.

Our first stop was a school about 30 minutes outside of Vinh Long.  We arrived at a traditional rural Vietnamese public school:  a low-rise building of sparsely furnished classrooms run by teachers in traditional long Vietnam silk dresses.  Upon arriving, I was struck by the warm and enthusiastic rapport between the RtR administrators and the principal and teachers at this school. The mix of respect and familiarity permeated our visit and set the tone for the morning. Tea and snacks were served while the school updated RtR on the status of the program. The principal was eager to show off the new library and proud of the progress the students have made with their reading.

We observed traditional, structured lessons taking place in the classrooms, which were monochromatic and sparsely furnished rooms with desks, a chalkboard and the Vietnamese flag hanging on the wall.  The students moved through their lessons methodically and dutifully and seemed somewhat shy as we began photographing them. After a PE class in the courtyard, the students moved to the reading room.

The RtR library is inviting, colorful, and laden with shelves of books organized by reading level. The windows emit beautiful natural light and highlight the colorfully painted murals on the walls. As the students excitedly entered the library they immediately began perusing the books, finding what they were interested in and then settled comfortably in a space of their choice to savor this unstructured time with a book.  Some sat at tables while others sat on the rug or in the corner on a chair.  Most read independently but the younger kids seemed to want to share their books and read aloud to one another.

The happy energy in this child friendly, print-rich environment was palpable.  It was fascinating to document this sea of deeply engaged children losing themselves in the pages of the books in this beautiful room.  After about 45 minutes, it was time for this hushed room of students to move on. The sense of unfinished business was clear but, thankfully, there is always the next visit to the RtR library.

Families on a Friday at a Sufi shrine. Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh. Photo by Asim Rafiqui, Blue Earth Alliance photographer.

Social change will not come from documentary photographs alone. This may seem like a statement that flies in the face of social documentary photographers working to affect change through their work, however it is an adage worth holding onto. Certainly the somewhat intangible relationship between change and photography is something I have found to be worth exploring both in my research and as an aspiring photographer.

This issue came up recently in a conversation with Bart J. Cannon, the executive director for Blue Earth Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to photography that makes a difference, who spoke candidly about his personal opinions on the social change potential of photography. The discussion was extremely enlightening.

Sarah Rennie: Does Blue Earth have a specific principle when it comes to the photographers and projects it supports?

Bart Cannon: Well our basic mission is social change. We are not a fine arts organization, we’re interested in documentary photography, specifically documentary photography, photojournalism, however you care to describe it, which is specifically for the purpose of creating a positive change in society. So we try to help projects that are covering under-reported issues, and issues that are important, and work with photographers who are dedicated to public education, helping people know about a problem, and to helping find avenues for solving it.

SR: Do you encourage associations between photographers and other organizations and groups?

BC: Well if the goal is social change there’s going to have to be an action step. So we want people to provide educational activities, which involve taking action. So, it’s not just simply throwing the images out there and telling the story, it’s, ok, well what do you do about it.

SR: Interesting. For so many it’s about getting the pictures out there.

BC: Humans are strongly visually motivated and sometimes just getting the image out there can make an enormous difference, but that’s not always enough. As long as it’s not something sensationalistic like thugs attacking civil rights marches in the 1960s. Sometimes it’s a little more esoteric. A photograph of an iceberg melting may not move people unless they understand the context. And then, OK, well what precisely can I do about it?

30 year old Grace Ndole is taking refuge in her brothers home in Shanu village, a few miles from her own home. She left her home & village after she learned that some men had broken in to attack her - Grace wasn't home at the time and the men took the only other thing they could see of value- a new mattress. Grace has a 6 year old daughter who is not albino. She left her daughter in the care of her Grandmother feeling that, in fear of attacks, at least her daughter would be safe. Photo by Rozarii Lynch, Blue Earth Alliance photographer.

SR: Context is always an issue. What are some of the key components of a good project?

BC: We always tell people who are applying that there are various factors which come into play. Our ability to help, how it fits into our portfolio of projects… We don’t want to duplicate projects for example. And always the quality of the photographs is going to be key but the real issue is going to be the storytelling component and the practicality. You’d be surprised how many applications we get from people who say, “yeah I’m going to go down the amazon and I’m going to document all these issues – budget for $1000”. Well… how are you going to eat, where are you going to stay, how are you going to get down there? Then you have all these fabulous images, now what? Have you even thought about that?

We can’t always make everything go the way we want it to, but we definitely want our project photographers thinking about getting the word out, and what that actually means to the public.

SR: How important do you think it is that people interact with images. Does this promote change?

BC: Humans are primates and primates respond strongly to visual stimulus. That’s my own personal knee jerk response. People have a difficult time responding to something unless they can see it. So if you want to demonstrate the fact that the Amazon is disappearing show them a field of it burning – people get that, they understand it in simple visceral terms.  And sometimes on complex issues it helps to put things in very stark perspective like that.

SR: Is that enough or do we need to start pushing a bit more?

BC: I think that’s beyond my purview, that’s more of a political question. Not that I’m dodging politics, I’m a political scientist by training, but there’s only so much that we’re able to do. We aren’t able to organize or to engage in field work to get people lobbying to change laws or to boycott abusive corporations etc. That’s at the tactical level, which really has to be addressed on a very specific case-by-case basis.

SR: Which types of images do you think may work best to convey a message of change?

BC: There are lots of dramatic images out there that I’ve seen over the years but it really depends on the issue and the story. I tend to approach photographs not so much from an artistic perspective but more from a social scientist approach, which is documentation. So I think actually producing photographic evidence is very strong and useful in persuasion. So a dramatic image in itself isn’t sufficient, I want to see data.

If glaciers are melting, show me a washed out gully where the glacier used to be, that’s strong data that makes a difference.  Especially if you can show me what it used to look like before.

SR: When photographers submit to Blue Earth, do you want them to be telling you a story?

BC: That’s what project photography is about. If they’re not telling a story it’s not project photography and it’s not documentary. There’s got to be some sort of narrative there to tell people what this is. If you’re not telling a story, you start crossing into the line of fine art photography and it becomes an exercise in photographic technique, which is fine – it’s just not documentary photography. Particularly if your goal is not just to document, that is to take pictures of facts for shelving in an archive, but… if you’re trying to create change, you’ve got to be telling a story.

The female's role is to produce offspring and participate in the care of the infants. Poppy, the female shown here, is one of the grande dams of Rwandan mountain gorillas having produced babies for many years. Poppy and her infant Ishyaka Laurentine are members of the Susa Group. As young females grow to maturity, they may and generally do leave their birth or natal group to join another social unit. It is not abnormal for a female to transition between groups more than once in her life. Parc National des Volcans, Rwanda. Photo by Gene Eckhart, Blue Earth Alliance photographer.

SR: My research focuses on the interaction between images and audience, and on images as a catalyst for change. Do you have any thoughts on this?

BC: It all comes again to the storytelling. You’ve got to have a compelling narrative in order to motivate change. It’s fine is somebody is emotionally moved by an image, it’s good if they learn something, but if you’re actually trying to do something concrete like reduce carbon emissions, you’ve got to have some kind of action plan, even if it’s as simple as writing a legislator to affect an upcoming vote on EPA regulations. It’s that concrete step that makes a difference. My personal background is that I was an activist in college, worked at a human rights organization for 12 years before coming to Blue Earth, so that’s my personal interest and maybe that’s my bias, but I’m not interested in enlightening the world. I’m interested in making it better. One comes before the other absolutely, but being moved by an image is not interesting to me, I want to know how that image is going to educate the audience and tell a narrative, which can give them an action step. So that’s probably not exactly the answer to your question, but that’s how I would personally approach it.

SR: That is really interesting in the sense that some of the photographers I’ve spoken to do not share that opinion. Once the photo is out, it’s out of their hands. Their job is to take the picture, and once it’s taken it’s up to the audience to move forward. But you are suggesting that it is up to the photographer?

BC: I would say so. I mean, if your job is to engage in photojournalism or social change photography, however you want to describe it, this implies you’re actually trying to make a difference. Images in and of themselves are wonderful but they are not doing anything – it’s the audience that’s going to do something and if you’re not out there poking the audience to do something then it’s not really serving your purpose as far as I can tell.  It serves as valuable archival, historical, evidence, which is valuable but that’s not creating change.

SR: Really interesting. So then, what is your idea of social change?

BC: I wouldn’t put it in general terms, it’s always specific.  Social change is stopping the factory from dumping the poisons in the water of that Texas town. That’s concrete positive change. Concrete positive change would be legislation passed by congress to have specific strengthened requirements for the use of toxic chemicals in water tables.  You know, very specific actions I think are what make a difference. If you want to have change at the very tactical, feet on the ground level, it’s not about changing the whole gestalt or the general attitude toward the earth, it’s about actually giving people solutions, or tactics, or steps they can take to improve things.

SR: So the photographs would be a visual cue, or a method for prodding people?

BC: I would say so. And related to that is documenting solutions. You can document a huge trash dump and accompany that with photographs of a green and effective recycling plant. Ok here’s a problem and here’s a step, it’s not insurmountable and awful and terrible, here are actual people working on the ground today attempting solutions. And I think that’s a key part of it too. So the image of the trash dump may be shocking and get people’s attention, and that’s marvelous, but we can also follow that up with additional images, or a narrative that will help people get involved.

SR: Great point. Thank you so much for this.

This conversation was part of an interview informing my research, which addresses a personal conviction that social change photography can have a significant social impact by questioning images’ effect on, and ability to affect, a diverse audience. If you have any thoughts on this topic, or on any of the issues raised in the above interview, I would love to hear from you.

Library at Room to Read school, Cambodia. Photo by Nancy Farese.

Nancy Farese and Liz Hale are in Vietnam and Cambodia on a PhotoPhilanthropy trip, shooting with a variety of NGOs. They photographed for several days with Room to Read, a global organization (headquartered in San Francisco) dedicated to global literacy and girls’ education.

With a passion for travel, youth development and photography, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to plan and execute a trip that combined these interests. We approached Room to Read, an organization which believes that World Change Starts With Educated Children, envisioning a world in which all children can pursue a quality education that enables them to reach their full potential and contribute to their community and the world. They gave us permission, access and escort to their sites in Cambodia and Vietnam.

Mich Uch. Photo by Liz Hale.

While in Cambodia, we visited a rural school in the Puok District in Siem Reap province.  In particular, we focused on an 18 year old student named Mich Uch who is part of the Girls Education Program at Puok High School. Room to Read established the Girls’ Education Program in 2000 to motivate, educate and empower girls by providing the support they need to enroll and remain in school. The program identifies girls at risk of dropping out of school and ensures that they have the opportunity to complete secondary school. RtR provides material support (school fees, textbooks, uniforms, school supplies and transportation) as well as a range of supplementary activities (tutoring, life skills training, mentoring and medical check-ups) that contribute to the girls’ educational success.

On occasion, Uch is able to bring friends home to visit her family for the afternoon. Photo by Liz Hale.

While Uch lives during the week in a RtR boarding house across the street from her school, we spent the afternoon in her home village documenting life with her family. Escorted by RtR and accompanied by Uch and several of her school friends, we traveled to the outskirts of the Siem Reap province to the end of a long and winding dusty dirt road to Uch’s family village. There, in the blistering heat, family and neighbors outside her family’s sparse one room straw hut warmly greeted us. Uch comes from a very poor farming family consisting of 6 children, her mother, her blind father and her grandmother. Their small plot of land next to the river provides the bare minimum to get by. When at home, she helps the family by collecting water, fishing, cooking and harvesting the crops from their small plot of land.

Uch with her mother, grandmother and one of her sisters. Photo by Liz Hale.

With no electricity, or running water, life in the village is limited, slow and simple. Uch does not want to follow in her family’s footsteps and become a farmer—she wants to complete her high school education and seek out other possibilities. Nor does not want to end up working on the Thai border as her sister does. Education is her ticket to a better life.

In her village, education has never been valued. However, Uch’s confidence, pride and opportunity over the last few years have influenced her family and her entire village; Uch is now viewed as a local hero. She is the only literate member of her family and also the only child in her village that has progressed to the last year of high school, made possible by her scholarship through RtR. She is determined, proud and grateful.

Och helping her mother and sister string a fishing line near their village. Photo by Nancy Farese.

It was a privilege to spend time getting to know Uch and her family. The insight we gained into the work of RtR was inspiring and motivating. It is clear that RtR is changing the landscape for Uch and that the trickle down effect for her village is palpable. My memory of Uch sitting on the dirt floor in her school uniform, proudly reading to her sister, mother and grandmother is indelible.

There are around 20,000 children living on the streets of Phnom Penh; many are orphaned because of HIV/AIDS, landmines or poor living conditions. Photo by Nancy Farese.

Nancy Farese and Liz Hale are in Vietnam and Cambodia on a PhotoPhilanthropy trip, shooting with a variety of NGOs. In Phnom Penh, they began their shoot with The Center for Children’s Happiness (CCH) (www.cchcambodia.org) which provides a home, education and vocational skills to 170 children who were either orphans or belong to parents who can no longer care for them. Most of the children previously worked as garbage pickers at the Steung Mean Che landfill in Phnom Penh.

With poor living conditions behind them and new stable footing established, the children have a healthy balance of structure, playtime and studies. Siblings groups are not uncommon at CCH as evidenced here as these brothers playfully check themselves out in the mirror. Photo by Liz Hale.

As Nancy and I were planning our journey to Cambodia, I thought it would be interesting to research youth development NGO’s in Phnom Penh and discovered the Center for Children’s Happiness (CCH). With a simple email to the director asking to learn more about CCH while also offering our photography services, a plan was established and a PhotoPhilanthropy project was launched.

The meals were bountiful and healthy. The kids also engaged in the preparation and clean up. Photo by Nancy Farese.

As I perused the CCH website before the trip, I was struck by how much better it could be in telling the story about what they do. “How can I make this better” is such a typical hardcore western viewpoint. Still, there was an obvious disconnect between their powerful mission and the existing photos on their website.

This young boy, previously a resident of the local garbage dump, is thriving in his 2nd grade classroom at CCH Primary School. Photo by Liz Hale.

In continuing to research CCH, I discovered that some family friends in Marin had spent time this summer volunteering there while traveling in Cambodia. The world is small.

Here, the kids are cleaning up after a meal. Photo by Nancy Farese.

We arrived at CCH in southern Phnom Penh, the 10 room school for children ages 3-14, to the sounds of classrooms deep in their daily work. We observed and documented the classrooms of warm, enthusiastic, hardworking students reciting answers to their work in English and learning computer skills. Their open and friendly manner allowed for easy access to their horrific stories of life pre-CCH and how they have been transformed by the opportunity of a home, education, training and support at CCH.

At the Center for Childrens' Happiness, the kids are happy, playful and glad to be in a safe place with meals, shelter and school. Photo by Nancy Farese.

Our take away after spending time in the classroom, on the playground and at lunch with the children of CCH is that this is a very well run organization. It is not just a place to live and get an education, but a warm, nurturing and supportive environment for children who have lived through unspeakable conditions of the garbage dump. CCH is impacting their lives in profound ways by offering them the basic human right of access to education to lead a better life.

Eco-Pesa, program by Eco-Ethics International, is creating an alternative currency in the Kongowea slums of Mombasa to stimulate local transactions, promote environmental conservation, and keep donor funding in the community.

Hardly a week later, I found myself wading through the flooded alleyways of Kongowea with the Eco-Pesa team, after a brief but intense downpour of November rain. As I walked barefoot through the knee-high brown water (in hindsight, probably not the best idea, but I didn’t have much choice if I wanted to continue), I was quickly filled in on the context of my surroundings. Kongowea is Mombasa’s largest and poorest slum; and it has a hard reputation. Many NGOs have tried to work there, but have failed to gain the trust of the local people and ultimately have had to pulled out. Currently, there are only a small handful of international NGOs working there.  I was determined to see how Eco-Pesa was fairing.

Eco-Pesa is program developed by Peace Corps alum Will Ruddick, through an NGO called Eco-Ethics International Union. In brief, it is an alternative, localized currency which can be exchanged for local goods and services at registered businesses in Kongowea. Its primary goal is to keep money and donor funding continuously flowing within the community instead of quickly leaving through purchases outside of the slums. Since only “registered” businesses (ones that sign up) accept Eco-Pesa, it allows an organization to keep track of the money it introduces into the community. It is also effective in preventing the purchase of “unclean” goods, such as alcohol, drugs, and other similar products.

The Eco-Pesa currency is currently introduced into the Kongowea economy in two ways:

• First, as an initiative to engage unemployed youth in the neighborhood, local youth are paid in Eco-Pesa by Eco-Ethics International for local trash collection & tree planting in Kongowea. Eco-Ethics sees the payments for these services in Eco-Pesa as a way to implement their donors funds in a responsible way (they call it Responsible Aid). Eventually, Eco-Ethics will help the youth start a business selling seedlings that the trees produce, as an income generating activity.
• Second, local businesses can register with Eco-Pesa and purchase the vouchers with Kenyan Shillings from the Eco Pesa Kiosk, which is opened twice a week. Each Eco-Pesa is backed by its equivalent value in Shillings (1 Eco-Pesa = 1 Kenyan Shilling), and can always be redeemed for Kenyan Shillings at no penalty.

Four of Kongowea's youth involved in the Eco-Pesa program (Left to right: Moddi, David, Gilbert, and Anthony). They earn Eco-Pesa for planting seed beds, which they will turn into an for-profit enterprise selling ornamental trees to surrounding communities.

As I made my way around Kongowea with the Eco-Pesa team, it was the first time I had ever been in a slum where I felt completely comfortable and free to take pictures. There was something very reassuring about being led by a community team, who were constantly stopping to greet old friends, volunteers, community elders, and youth involved in the program. I felt welcomed in a way that I hadn’t imagined. The typical uneasiness that can come with photographing situations of poverty was totally absent.

There was also another factor at play, which along the entire BoP Project journey has made situations such as this much more comfortable. I was not simply there to document “poverty”, or use these photographs to show how difficult “life in the slums” is. Not only would I feel somewhat exploitative doing that, but I could just imagine being in these people’s shoes-a white man comes in, smiles, takes photos all day, then is never heard from again.

When shooting in these situations, I always make it a point to explain to my guide/host/translator exactly what my purpose is, and to make sure that the community members I photograph understand my goals as well. I’m here to tell stories of success, document the progress of organizations, and show the world solutions, not problems. Anyone can come into a slum and capture “poverty”, but capturing “solutions” requires a bit more effort. It takes spending time in peoples homes, sitting for a cup of tea, listening to their stories, learning their names, their children’s names, and letting them know that you care just as much about getting their story right as getting their photograph right.

Granted, this isn’t always the case, as many photographers know. Sometimes you are rushed by an organization running on a rigid time frame, or sometimes your own travel schedule only allows you limited time in one area. But you try, and the more you are able to connect with your subjects, typically the better the photographs come out.

Mama Fatuma, a small fried fish vendor in Kongowea, says she accepts Eco-Pesa because to help grow her business. She sees Eco-Pesa as a way to help the community "help itself".

Back in Kongowea, my Eco-Pesa guide Deborah had set up a few brief interviews for me, and luckily, I had time to spare. As I made my way around the neighborhood, I was interested in talking to several small businesses that were using Eco-Pesa as a form of payment instead of cash. This inevitably brought me to an eclectic mix of folks. I met Harrison, who runs a small water station offering people clean water for just a few Kenyan shillings a jerrycan, who said accepting Eco-Pesa has helped increase his business, and he’s looking to soon buy a better pump. I met “Mama Fatuma”, a beautifully dressed and broad-smiled elderly woman who sells fried fish, who said that she sees Eco-Pesa as a way to “help the community help itself”. I also spent much of the day with four of the youth who are involved in the trash collection and tree planting program- Moddi, David, Gilbert, and Anthony. They are excited to be earning money for their work, and support Eco-Pesa’s presence in the community.

At the end of the day, after the alleys (and my pants) were mostly dried from the morning drenching, I felt satisfied. Not just with my photos and what I was able to capture reflecting the work of Eco-Pesa in the community, but also with the work of Eco-Pesa itself. As an innovative new approach to donor-funding accountability and community economic empowerment, it was great to see so many people in the community openly accepting their efforts. It also was a great experience, being able help the program out at such an early phase, by offering them a series of photographs and stories that will allow them to spread their message and their impact to a wider audience. That’s one of the greatest rewards of documenting the work of NGOs – you know your time and effort will have a definite impact, hopefully all the way back to the people you photograph.

Photojournalist and (aspiring) social entrepreneur Jonathan Kalan shares stories from his experience documenting social enterprises across East Africa. Last year, he founded The (BoP) Project, to discover, document and share stories of remarkable social entrepreneurs, enterprises and innovations that are redefining poverty alleviation. Through visual journalism and media, he hopes to teach people about the growing “Base of the Pyramid” movement and the viable alternatives to traditional aid.

Ronald, one of Barefoot Power's first and most successful "Solar Entrepreneur", gives a night solar demonstration, or "activation", to the villagers in Musubiro Village, Uganda. Ronald earns his income from selling small, affordable solar solutions to individuals and families in off-grid villages like Musubiro.

It was getting late. Our 2 1/2 hour journey was approaching 6 hours thanks to horrendous traffic, countless bus-eating potholes, rough dirt roads, and a couple of wrong turns. As we finally emerged from bush of southern Uganda, 45 minutes from the nearest city of Masaka, our headlights revealed the crowd gathered in anticipation in the Musubiro village schoolyard. It was close to 7:30 p.m. The last sliver of light had dipped past the horizon, and I feared the entire trip had just been wasted.

I had come that day from Kampala with Charles, regional manager of Barefoot Power. We were there to document Barefoot’s innovative approach building a network of “Solar Entrepreneurs” who are responsible for bringing solar lighting to towns and villages all across Uganda. Their products, ranging from the extremely popular “Firefly Mobile”, a small 1.5 watt panel with 12 small LED lights and a phone charger, or their full “Village Kits” that can provide lighting to an entire house, are making solar products affordable and accessible to those at the Base of the Economic Pyramid.

In a small town on the way to Musubiro, we picked up Ronald, one of Barefoot’s most successful Solar Entrepreneurs who has been at it for over 3 years now. When he hopped in the car and we took off down the road, I was getting visibly antsy. There was no way I was going to be able to get a quality portrait of him, let alone quality pictures of the “activation” (a solar power demonstration Ronald was going to be holding for villagers) or of end users with my flash as the only light. I knew I needed some night shots – I mean, I was photographing the impact of solar products, and it’s hard to see their effectiveness during daylight – but I thought I would have some time to capture the scene, take some portraits, and provide a context during the day. At night, it would be pitch black.

Ronald, a Barefoot Power "Solar Entrepreneur", explains to the crowd the benefits of solar energy, and how he has created a custom payment plan so that families can afford the cost of lighting their homes. Typically, compared to the price of Kerosene, the smaller solar solutions pay for themselves in 5-6 months.

Photographing in Africa, or in most places where time follows quite a different pattern, things often hardly go as planned. You must always be prepared to deal with the cards that are dealt, and rise to the occasion, capturing the best moments possible with whatever limited resources are at your disposal.

As we pulled into the darkness of village, Ronald and Charles unpacked the truck and began setting up panels, lamps, light, boxes of Firefly’s and Powa Packs on the hood. The community began crowding around, first marveling at the demonstration about to take place, and then at the crazy Mzungu (white person) climbing on top of the car and wandering around looking for the best shot.

As soon as the lights were switched on and as Ronald began preaching solar, I suddenly became aware that the lateness of our arrival, the darkness of the village, and the scene which was unfolding ended up being my blessing in disguise. The blue LED lights from the solar products lit up the faces of the children who were staring like deer in headlights with amazement.

A child marvels at the solar light on display. Nearly all of the families in Musubiro Village use kerosene to light up their dwellings at night.

The unavoidable blurriness, the high ISO settings, and the eventual not-so-perfect quality of the photos didn’t matter. Instead, the energy of the scene and the story of why solar was so necessary unfolded in front of my lens, and I danced around the crowd with my shutter open.

In the village of Musubiro, like so many others across Africa, the main source of light is kerosene. It is not only expensive, but also has a myriad of negative health side affects and the risk that always comes when you mix open flames and straw-thatched roof dwellings. Typically, the day’s choirs are done, children’s studying over, and small shops are closed when the sun goes down at 7:30 p.m. Yet with these small solar innovations, people can work, read or study later without the financial and health expenses of kerosene. As the crowd huddled around the light emitting from the small LED’s, Ronald patiently answered questions and continued his well-refined pitch on how solar technology works, how one small light is five times brighter than a kerosene lamp, how it can save money, and how he has created custom payment plans so that they can afford the cost over time.

Saidi Rukamata, of Musubiro Village, Masaka District, Uganda, purchased a Barefoot Powa Pack nearly a year ago to provide clean energy for his family of 8. Previously, he would spend upwards of 9,000 Ush (around $4) per month on Kerosene.

At the close of the 45 minute demonstration, several people were not only interested in purchasing the solar products, but many were interested in becoming Solar Entrepreneurs themselves. A few were visiting family or friends in the village, and wanted to hold demonstrations to help bring light to their friends, families, and neighbors in other areas.

As we packed up, waved our goodbyes, and headed through the darkness to visit the homes of a few individuals who had already purchased small lamps or kits, it was easy to spot them. A low light was spilling from the entryway in a small pharmacy run by Namwonge Agnus; and an even brighter light was coming from the living room of Saidi Rukamata, who purchased a 12v Powa Pack system almost a year ago. I couldn’t have imagined photographing these scenes during the day. Usually an ugliness corrected by white balance, I left the cool surgery-room-blue tint of the LED’s as is. The dark faces and spots stayed dark, and the shots were hardly edited. Perhaps they aren’t picture-perfect, but they are pictures that perfectly capture the story that I had set out to document. Sometimes you just have to sit back and let the shoot unfold.

Photojournalist and (aspiring) social entrepreneur Jonathan Kalan shares stories from his experience documenting social enterprises across East Africa. Last year, he founded The (BoP) Project, to discover, document and share stories of remarkable social entrepreneurs, enterprises and innovations that are redefining poverty alleviation. Through visual journalism and media, he hopes to teach people about the growing “Base of the Pyramid” movement and the viable alternatives to traditional aid.