James Nachtwey, Afghanistan

Recently, I’ve been thinking about war photography, and the moral arguments that commonly support it. I’ve been seeing people use those arguments to advocate for certain practices in photography in general, and I think there are problems with that.

To me, war-phototography is not the same as non-violent-photography.

For example, in the movie War Photographer, by Christian Frei, photojournalist James Nachtwey describes his process like this: “In a war, the normal codes of civilized behavior are suspended. It would be unthinkable in so called normal life, to go into someone’s home, where the family is grieving over the death of a loved one, and spend long moments photographing them. It simply wouldn’t be done.

“Those pictures could not have been made unless I was accepted by the people I’m photographing. It’s simply impossible to photograph moments such as those without the complicity of the people I’m photographing; without the fact that they welcomed me, that they accepted me, that they wanted me to be there.”

The film shows Nachtwey building relationships, asking questions, and getting to know communities in a conscientious way, even as it also shows him taking pictures in the midst of explosions. But the film emphasizes the picture-taking, not the communication, which I think sends a false message.

I can see how, in a violent situation, neither the photographer nor the subject might be concerned with asking permission or communicating verbally. I can see how permission could be implicit. But I also know that it is easier not to ask permission. It is easier not to communicate. And it’s very easy to misunderstand.

So I’m wary of implicit permission, especially when it’s applied to non-violent situations. I often hear photographers say they are “giving a voice to the voiceless” or “bearing witness.” And when that is the aim, I think that some level of collaboration between photographer and subject—some kind of overt permission—is necessary for the image to have a positive impact.

In a fantastic essay for the online journal Soundscapes, Hans Durrer confronts this issue, saying, “In times when (some) photographers hold celebrity status, it is useful to be reminded that a good photograph does not solely depend on the photographer’s ability to choose the right subject, location and light, but also on the chemistry and the collaboration, between photographer and subject…Despite my deep sympathy for socially inclined photographers, when the people portrayed feel ashamed of their portraits, there clearly is something wrong with this kind of photography.”

That is just an electric statement: When the people portrayed feel ashamed of their portraits, there is something wrong with that kind of photography.

This doesn’t only happen in journalism. It also happens in collaborations between photographers and nonprofit organizations. I spoke to Benjamin Chesterton the other day, who runs the multimedia production company duckrabbit and the blog A Developing Story and he said, “It’s amazing to me that these NGOs’ awareness campaigns will say they’re giving a voice to the voiceless, but you never hear a single actual voice from the community that’s being represented.” This is happening right now with UNICEF’s new Put It Right campaign. Photo/audio slideshows that duckrabbit produces use voices in an incredibly powerful way, as in this one made for MSF (Doctors Without Borders).

Artist Fazal Sheikh photographs war and the issues that surround it, and is a photographer who takes permission seriously, and emphasizes it. Rather than seeing permission as a burden, Sheikh actually builds better projects and makes better pictures by asking permission. Which is intuitive, but not if you’ve just been watching War Photographer.

In his introduction to the book A Camel for the Son, about Somali refugees living in Kenya, Sheikh writes, “I arrived at the camp at Liboi in February 1992 on a UNHCR flight from Nairobi along with news journalists, most of whom were staying for one or two days. The war was fresh and the competition for pictures and stories was fierce.

“I decided to stay on longer and asked one of the Somali leaders whether he would allow me to work in the camp. Some weeks earlier, on the Sudanese border, I had asked an elder the same question. ‘Why are you asking me?’ was his reply. ‘I am only a refugee.’ But his tone made it clear what a violation it was for the refugees to have strangers moving through their communities without their consent.”

This is someone I can look up to. This is someone who has created a process that lines up with his stated goals. He also makes incredibly beautiful images, whose beauty has a lot to do with the energy, self-assertion, and self-possession that people display in front of his lens.

Seeing the strength, the individuality, and the self conscious composure of his subjects, I feel devastated and enraptured; humbled and uplifted. I feel sad. I feel educated. I feel inspired. And I feel proud to be the audience at the end of a photographic process I believe in. By making pictures that his subjects are not ashamed of, he allows me, as the audience, to shed my shame as well.

Eliza Gregory writes a weekly blog for PhotoPhilanthropy.

We spent a week in Djenne and got to meet many of the street children. They followed us around, a few asking for money but most just curious to know more about us. We discovered that many of the children in Mali are orphans, often given up by their parents who can not afford to care for them. Boys are sent out on the streets to sell sugar or to beg, while girls are kept in the house to perform manual labor, or even sold to other families to do chores.

In Djenne we met with Amadou, a local man who has taken action to solve the town’s orphan problem. Djenne does not have an orphanage, and children without parents to care for them roam the streets, searching for a way to survive. Amadou invited us to his family’s modest home so that we could meet some of the children and learn more about the specific problems relating to orphans in Djenne. Amadou’s English was limited, but he did know one word very well: “problem”. On the street, we passed a young pregnant woman that Amadou knew well. He placed his hand on her belly and said, “problem”. He explained to us (in French and broken English) that she was not married, and when her child was born, it would likely become an orphan. A child born to an unwed woman is not only a financial burden on an already struggling family, but also a social embarrassment in this mostly Muslim community. Furthermore, children that are not born to married couples usually can not get an official birth certificate. This important document is required to enroll in school in Mali, and without it a struggling child has an even harder challenge ahead.

After weaving our way through the narrow streets of Djenne, we reached Amadou’s house. Many children were waiting to meet us. They were happy, excited, curious, and rambunctious. Packed into the front room of Amadou’s house, they said hello to us in French which they have been learning in school. They curiously posed for photos, and the older children helped the younger ones maneuver to the front of the pack to greet us. Fortunately, most of these children now have a home. Amadou and other community members recently started an organization to help place the orphans with nearby families that can afford to take in an extra child. The organization also acquires birth certificates so that these children can attend school, and provides funds to provide for proper medical care. An orphanage is also being planned, so that even more children can receive care.

After the children left, we stayed in Amadou’s house while he served us tea and explained more about his future plans for the orphans. Amadou and the rest of the organization’s members are attempting to raise a significant amount of money to build an orphanage on an empty plot of land just outside of town. But Amadou does not like “projects” as he describes them. He is referring to “projects” and funding that come from NGOs or foreign governments. When the money comes, Amadou says that the money is illegally squandered. “New house, big car for fat man in Bamako,” he says in his broken English. During our time in Mali, we have heard many other stories about corruption, theft, and resources diverted from the local people intended to receive the benefits. Amadou does not trust anyone outside of his community to run the project, and he wants to raise money for the organization directly from donors.

As we sat in his house drinking tea, I had more time to look around. The room we sat in was actually open to the sky, and a few smaller rooms with a roof extended through a small doorway on one side. A narrow stairwell led to another room built on the roof. Amazingly, the entire structure is built of baked mud bricks and then coated with a smooth outer layer of mud. Every year the family must repair the damage to their home after the rainy season. The town does not have plumping, and all water is carried in from the nearby well. His family’s life is difficult and demanding, and yet Amadou served us tea and peanuts while he explained to us how and why he wanted to raise so much money to help others.

However, this type of achievement is nearly impossible without connections to the outside world. Like many people in Mali, Amadou suffers from an inability to explain his plight to the outside world. Internet access is expensive and scarce, and very few Malians have a strong understanding of technological resources. While the organization’s plans for the orphanage are very detailed, the plans to raise money are not progressing as well. The members are trying to raise money from nearby towns, and they occasionally and politely ask tourists for help, but neither strategy has achieved much success. Amadou hopes that word will spread and donors will send money via Western Union. While this is far from convenient for anyone wishing to make a donation, it is the only way Amadou knows how to collect funds. The mail is slow and unreliable, and he does not have enough knowledge of or access to the internet to create well connected fundraising campaign.

After our conversation at his house, Amadou took us to see the site for the future orphanage. We made our way to the edge of town and down the small slope to the river. At this time of the year the river is very low, so we waded across the ankle-deep water while children played and women washed clothes. About five minutes later we arrived at a marked-off area with a stack of mud bricks in each corner. Amadou pointed at different areas and described how some rooms would be for the children, some for the school, and some for the small tourist hotel. He was very proud of the idea to let tourists stay at the orphanage – it will provide the funds to sustain the organization indefinitely as well as give tourists a cheaper alternative to Djenne’s mostly higher-priced tourist campements. The first step is to build a well, he said. Without water, the orphanage would not be practical and the construction can not begin. Next comes the construction itself, and the budget and work is entirely planned.

Work is progressing slowly due to a lack of funding. Most money that the organization raises is allocated to the daily tasks of healthcare and education. In addition to “purchasing” the birth certificates for orphans, medical expenses are a large portion of the organization’s budget. Several times each year, doctors from Europe come to donate their time for free. However, the hospital costs, while very inexpensive by western standards, are still far out of reach to most people in Mali. One young girl, Coumba Bah, is awaiting the opportunity to have an operation on her leg in late April if the organization can raise several hundred dollars.

Amadou is making progress to improve the situation for Djenne’s orphans. His plans for the orphanage are moving forward and he is slowly reaching out to beyond his immediate community. But with little outside help he is finding that the goals of the organization are being delayed. The community would like to begin construction of the orphanage in October of 2009, but over 10 million CFA, or $20,000 (US) must first be raised. In Mali, this is a daunting task, but one which Amadou and his community have taken on despite the challenge.

Anyone wishing to help can contact us at info [at] collectivelens.com

1. Ensure that your money stays within the local community. If possible, try to avoid businesses run by overseas companies. Stay at locally run hotels, visit locally owned restaurants, and shop at merchants where products are created and sold by residents of the community. If you choose to participate in a tour, find one that’s locally run and gives back to community. These souvenirs and experiences will likely be more personal and memorable, while also supporting a range of industries in the community.
2. While it may be tempting to give a quick donation to an individual on the street, restrain from giving handouts, especially to children. It’s often hard to walk by someone in need and know that your money or gift could help them. However, giving handouts ultimately leads to dependence on further handouts. Children are often pulled out of school to beg on the street for their parents. Giving handouts only encourages this behavior and limits the child’s future potential.
3. If you wish to make a donation, find a legitimate NGO or charity in the community. Many organizations work to create sustainable programs that help residents become financially independent. Guidebooks often provide a useful list of successful organizations in the area of your travels.
4. Negotiate fair prices for goods and services. By regularly overpaying for certain services, tourists often price out locals. For example, when tourists artificially inflate the price of taxis, locals are no longer able to afford them. Similarly, when specific careers move up the pay scale, other industries not directly impacted by tourism suffer. Ultimately, more locals focus on this artificially inflated career path, limiting the number of individuals entering other high paying professions that require further education. This leads to a less educated and diverse population and an unbalanced economy that is dangerously dependent on tourism.
5. Don’t support government run businesses in politically corrupt countries. Additional money given to these governments only strengthens policies that have historically harmed the citizens. If possible, find locally run businesses that allow your money to stay within the community. While you do not have to avoid all travel to countries with poor human rights records, you should still be sensitive to where your money goes.

For many communities tourism has provided a positive economic jolt that brings outside currency to a locally maintained economy. When traveling, keep in mind that your actions can have a direct impact, either positive or negative, on individual lives and entire communities. Remember to enjoy your travels and continue to learn from the cultures around you.

In 2009 we will travel through Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, meeting with local people and small organizations along the way. Our goals will be to show how people in other parts of the world live and how you can make a difference that can better someone’s life. No matter where you live, there are many stereotypes and assumptions about other cultures that often limit your ability to make a personal connection. By showing the differences and similarities between cultures, we believe that more people will be encouraged to reach out to their neighbors across the globe. We also want to showcase the important work of small organizations that are truly making a difference. Instead of blind charitable handouts to people in need, many organizations are relying on education and sustainability to allow recipients to help themselves perpetually. These charities deserve more attention not just for their innovative work, but also because we can all learn from their experiences. Our hope is to inspire more people to reach out and make a difference to someone who lives a life different from their own.

Our year long trip will begin on January 20th in Morocco. Over the next several months we will weave our way through West Africa passing through some of the world’s poorest, yet most amazing countries. Then we will head to the Middle East, a region where many people maintain a relatively high standard of living, but find their lives often interrupted by religious and racially driven conflict. Next we will head to East Africa before venturing on to India. We won’t be able to visit every country in each of these regions, but hopefully our trip will provide us with a solid cross-section of the cultures and beliefs in each place. While a major motivation for our trip is to raise awareness through Collective Lens, our adventure is self funded and some of it will be for personal enjoyment. We plan to see some amazing cultures, make some wonderful friends, and learn about the world from a variety of perspectives.

If you know of any organizations, charities, or NGO’s in the regions that we will be visiting, please let us know about them. We are currently in the process of seeking out organizations to visit, and we’d love to hear from our readers. You can post in the comments or send us an email to info [at] collectivelens.com.

Naturally, you can expect blog posts about our travels here on the Collective Lens blog, but this blog will contain much more than that. We’ve gained a few writers lately. Russ will usually be writing about humanitarian issues, Chanelle will be writing about nonprofit strategies, and Heidi and Brynn will be writing about various issues in third world countries. (If you’re interested in writing for Collective Lens, read this.)

Thanks for your support everyone, we’re looking forward to a great year.

-Bryan and Laurie, founders of Collective Lens

Part of this campaign includes the Gimme Shelter film, produced by Affleck and cinematographer John Toll, which portrays daily life for the victims of the conflict in the North Kivu region. The Rolling Stones donated the Gimme Shelter song to the cause as well.

Renewed violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has triggered a humanitarian crisis forcing more than 250,000 people, many of them already displaced, to flee their homes, bringing a forgotten crisis to the world’s attention.

In the last three months alone, hundreds of thousands of innocent children, women and men displaced by the conflict have lost their homes, their belongings, their family, their friends and their hope.
-UNHCR

The following photos were taken at the Nakivale refugee settlement, some 300km away from the Congolese boarder, hosting refugees mainly from the DRC, Rwanda, Somalia, Burundi, Ethiopia and Eritrea. Nakivale is the settlement that is receiving all newly arrived Congolese refugees in Uganda, the Kabazana Reception Center being located inside the settlement, where refugees receive hot meals and basic health care.

UNHCR hopes the Gimme Shelter campaign will help raise US$23 million in 2009 to pay for clean water supplies and emergency humanitarian assistance kits for tens of thousands of internally displaced Congolese.

©ZALMAÏ 2008 for UNHCR

©ZALMAÏ 2008 for UNHCR

©ZALMAÏ 2008 for UNHCR

©ZALMAÏ 2008 for UNHCR

©ZALMAÏ 2008 for UNHCR

Finally, the UNHCR is encouraging everyone to spread the word by sharing the short film and photos that we’ve displayed here.

Help us and Ben Affleck bring attention to the plight of North Kivu’s displaced civilians. All you have to do is post UNHCR photos of this humanitarian crisis on your blogs, websites and social media platforms. This will help raise public awareness about the suffering and needs of the displaced as well as giving hope to those whose lives have been affected.
-UNCHR

For more information, check out unhcrshelter.org, unhcr.org, or the UNHCR Gimme Shelter photo collection on Flickr.

Increase Efficiency
Recruiting skills-based virtual volunteers who already have the specific skills your organization needs will free up the staff’s time to work on high priority tasks whether it’s fundraising, board development or marketing.  With less on their plate, nonprofit employees can focus their efforts in other areas, thus increasing staff productivity and overall organizational efficiency.

Nonprofits Beware: Virtual volunteers with the appropriate skills can also help in critical areas like board development, fundraising and marketing, among others.  Be specific as to what skills, level of commitment and expertise you are looking for from them.

Low Costs
In reality, your organization can’t afford to lose or hire additional staff; however, in order to outlive the current economy, layoffs may be imminent.  Assigning virtual volunteers to a myriad of projects can help reduce operating expenses. You can forgo added depreciation expenses of essential office equipment, travel reimbursements and training costs.  Virtual volunteers have their own (or access to) computers, email, phones and other supplies.  And if you recruit the right people – which you should do no matter the situation – they will need little or no training.  The negative connotation associated with the saying “you get what you pay for” doesn’t quite ring true in this instance.

Find Potential Employees
Volunteering is a great way for job seekers to test their skills, learn new ones and also offers the nonprofit an additional screening process to determine if the volunteer is suitable for paid employment.  Reaching out to virtual volunteers can increase your organization’s pool of potential, and qualified, candidates. Not only can you recruit employees this way but your organization will be seen as one that cares about its volunteer’s professional advancement.  Junior level managers and entry level workers will appreciate you giving them the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to excel in the workforce.

Leverage Your Resources
Are you looking for a Brand Strategist, Fundraising or HR Consultant?  Not only will you be connected to your virtual volunteers but you can also tap into their resources.  S/he may have just the contact you need.  The more seasoned the professional, the more people you have the opportunity to connect with.  Networking is an excellent tool for seeking new donors, volunteers and resources. Open your door to the world and imagine the possibilities!

Virtual Work in Action: Being the Program Manager at a California based nonprofit, I now have a network of friends and colleagues roughly 3,000 miles away from my New York home. Keep in mind I have not travelled to CA nor meet the President of this organization. We’ve maintained a virtual relationship going on 3 years and at this point, I’d call her a great friend, colleague and consistent supporter of my work as a social entrepreneur.

It’s Still Community Service
People are always looking for ways to give back.  Some of those people may live on the other side of town, another country or simply unable to commute to your office.  By offering virtual volunteer opportunities, your nonprofit is open to more support from people who want to help further your cause.  Explore new demographics!  Besides if it’ll cost you nothing, why not spread awareness about the great work you do with folks on the other side of the world?

Keep in mind these reasons by no means suggest there are no risks involved with recruiting virtual volunteers.  Each organization is different and must do the research to accurately assess whether bringing on additional support in the form of virtual volunteers will be worthwhile.

Chanelle Carver is a social entrepreneur, mentor and consultant for startup and small nonprofit organizations. She’s the founder of Literacy ‘n’ Poverty Project, an activist for various social causes and has worked and volunteered with nonprofits from around the country. Contact Chanelle at carver [at] literacyandpovertyproject.com with your questions.

1. Use a wide angle lens, but get close. A wide angle lens will help you expand your viewpoint, but at the same time, you don’t want your photos to be too impersonal to the subject. Get close to the important aspects of the scene and make them the primary focus of the shot. Then, try to include other objects or people that are important to the situation. Place the primary subjects at different spots around the image to create a more dynamic photo with tension. A wide angle lens will also give the viewer a perspective of being in the middle of the action.
2. Continuously look around. If you’re on the street, in a market, or surrounded by a lot of action, then you could be missing out on opportunities to grab some great photos if you don’t keep your eyes open to everything around you. Sometimes it may be easier to stand in one spot and let everything else flow around while waiting for a good scene to materialize.
3. It’s about the people, but it’s not a portrait. A portrait can be a powerful photo, but it generally tells a different story than a shot with someone performing a task or surrounded by their natural environment. Viewers automatically identify with a person in a photo, so by all means you should include people if possible. However, step back and capture their surroundings instead of just their face.
4. Look for candid moments Don’t pose your subjects, but instead let them do whatever it is they are doing. After all, isn’t that what you’re trying to capture? You may also find it important to avoid distracting them so that your shot is more candid. Consider hiding yourself if needed. Better yet, ask for permission and tell them to go about their business as usual.
5. Work with the action. Follow your subjects and pay attention to their tasks. Be aware of both their motions and your positioning. Anticipate their next movement so that you can line yourself up for the next set of shots. Timing can be crucial, and a rapid-fire shutter can be very useful.

A few examples

Day laborers pull a summer crop of mustard seed which will bring high prices for the landowner at the market. Without the assistance of a bore well, out of reach for many farmers, Rajasthanis depend on limited rainfall that usually only support one season of growing.
by Daniel Bachhuber

Even though we can’t see their faces, we get a good idea of where these women are from and the work that they are performing. The low angle highlights both their work and their clothing.

by Edelweiss Valeriano

Up close and personal, this photo shows what this child is doing, his surroundings, and the expression on his face. We are close enough to feel his struggle, and yet far enough away to see his environment.

Indians in Porto Seguro, Bahia. Village of Jaqueira
by Fernando Martinho

This is a good example of how a wide angle lens can help the viewer feel like they are part of the scene. We feel like we have our own place at this family’s table.

Palestinian children from Baghdad living in the no mans land between the Iraqi and Syrian border at Al Tanf Refugee Camp.
J. Wreford for UNHCR

This quick and candid moment captures the personalities and the plight of these children.

Eleven-year-old Aliyah (L) takes a private English lesson in Kabul after returning from Pakistan with her family.
N.Behring for UNHCR

While this photo brings our attention to the student on the left and her activities, the photographer’s use of a wide angle lens gives us the general context of her classroom surroundings. Even though it’s not on the street, the same candid techniques have been applied to showcase a candid moment in a dynamic environment.

Do you have any tips for taking candid photos that you would like to share? Let us know by leaving a comment and we’ll post everyone’s best advice in a future article.

What can you tell us about Partners with GLOW?
In Mushota, Zambia, the organization is comprised solely of AIDS orphaned girls. Partners with GLOW seeks to help these girls raise the funds needed to finish their education through High School. Unlike in the United States, the Zambian government does not sponsor education through grade 12. Schools begin charging tuition after the seventh grade. Frequently the children most at risk in already impoverished areas are orphans, and worst among them are the girls. Partners with GLOW’s primary goal is to help the GLOW club of Mushota, Zambia develop a number of useful life-skills, including income generation, responsibility, and goals as well as good social skills of community support. In Zambia, possessing a twelfth grade education puts one at a great advantage.

GLOW Club girls making jewelry

Prostitution and its effects are also a main cause of the HIV virus spreading throughout sub-Saharan Africa – among other issues within sanitary and health care practices. By providing the GLOW Club of Mushota the support they need in order to achieve a good level of education, it’s the hope of Partners with GLOW that these girls will never be pulled into prostitution.

How do you help the girls?
Partners with GLOW is testing different income generation projects that the girls can sell to caring, aware US citizens. Since they are just young girls, there is no pressure from Partners with GLOW or “output expectations.” Right now the girls are having a great time making beaded jewelry, expressing and exploring their creative sides. In the past, the Mushota GLOW club has also made place mats from the brightly patterned local material “Chitenge,” producing some beautiful place settings.

How can someone get involved?
In addition to accepting donations, Partners with GLOW sells the jewelry that the Mushota girls make. This is an opportunity to illustrate that industrious, entrepreneurial activity does make a difference. It’s our goal that the girls will learn more than just a mentality of “work for money.” We also hope the GLOW Club will learn fiscal responsibility and basic money management. Since we only manage the funds in the US – then transfer them directly to their group bank account, the girls are responsible for making sure they budget correctly for their education. We have an adult mentor, Ba Chomba, who currently works closely with us. She is receiving the training she will need in order to make sure the girls and the club as a whole are ready for the challenges ahead.

Ba Chomba, the GLOW Club mentor

How is the program affecting the lives of the girls?
The girls are making great progress towards their education. For example, Christabel is 14 years old and is currently in 9th grade at Mushota Basic School. Her favorite activities are playing netball and dancing. She lost her parents when she was 5, and moved in with her aunt’s family in Mushota 3 years ago. Christabel explains that living with her relatives in Mushota is very difficult for her, “I am given a lot of hard work while my cousins just work a little bit. It does not make me feel good when I’m treated this way, it makes me think about my parents. I start to really miss them.”
In school, Christabel enjoys learning English, Mathematics and Science, “When I’m taught these subjects, I find that I’m able to understand them well. I especially enjoyed learning about electricity and geometry. My goal is to finish school and become an accountant so that I can earn money to support other orphans like myself.”

Christabel, 14

“I love the GLOW Club because I’ve learned many things. I’ve learned how to make placemats, which are my favorite things to make. I’ve learned how to keep myself at school, not to get married early, and how to choose good friends that help me to change my life. I also earn money that helps me to stay in school because I’m able to buy the school uniform, books, and pay my school fees.”

For Term 2, May through July, 2008, Christabel bought a backpack, a school uniform, a sweater and notebooks with the money she earned.

Rosemary is 15 years old, and is currently working on grade 8. Rosemary loves reading books and playing hide and seek. Rosemary was born in the capitol, Lusaka, where she stayed with her parents until they passed away 8 years ago. She had no other relatives in Lusaka, so she had no choice but to move to the distant village of Mushota where her grandmother farms. Life changed drastically for Rosemary when her parents passed away, “My mom was able to afford most things for us, but since my grandmother is old, when I need something she often says, ‘I don’t have this, I don’t have that’.”

Rosemary has found guidance and support from the GLOW Club, “I like GLOW because I have learned how to look after myself, to avoid early marriage and pregnancy so I can complete my education. GLOW is helping me to continue my education because I am now able to buy what I need for school, which solves the problem that was hindering me.”

Rosemary is a strong, confident young woman with goals and direction. She feels that if she becomes educated, she will have a chance at a brighter future: “I like going to school because I want to be educated so I can live a happy life. I am happy to be learning English because when I start working I’ll be able to speak English with my boss and co-workers…My goal for now is to qualify for grade 10. I want to be a nurse because I don’t want so many people to be dying.

“The most important thing about GLOW is that making these crafts and selling them is helping me to become educated. I want these things to continue so I can even go to college.”
For term 2, May-July, Rosemary purchased a uniform and a sweater with the money she earned.

Glow Club girls making jewelry

These were the reasons which prompted Kavita to start an initiative called Kilikili. Kilikili has stayed true to its taglines, “Right to Inclusive Play”, and “Breaking barriers through play.” They have been working towards making public spaces, specifically parks, more accessible and useful for special children. They have started by converting one of the public parks in Bangalore to a model park which would be more disabled-friendly. All the play equipment has been slightly modified keeping in mind the needs of the disabled children.

The swing, the way as you see in the picture, is called “the bucket” and gives support to children that do not have upper body support. The slides have raised sides that can help children who are fearful of heights. The seesaw also has the bucket type of seat to enable children who are disabled to use it. These simple modifications to the design of this equipment, not only makes a world of difference to these special children, but also adds to the fun for normal children.

One thing that I admire about Kilikili as an initiative is that instead of developing their own private space, which would have had restricted access, they are trying to convert public parks, which are accessible to hundreds of children. Also, unlike most NGO’s who normally function individually and detached from the local government, Kilikili believes in symbiotic relationships. “If you want to make something sustainable and scalable, government has to be involved. There are hundreds of parks in Bangalore, and any one NGO cannot take care of all of them. Going ahead we want BMP (Bangalore municipal corporation) to install the equipment in all the parks and we want to involve local community to take care of maintaining it”, says Kavita who is one of the persons behind Kilikili. “Top officials at BMP have been very supportive and have taken the responsibility to implement this” she adds. This goes to show that a lot can be achieved by NGO government partnerships. Government possibly can’t do everything, but with NGOs providing useful consultation, things can be made more effective.

As Kavita says, Kilikili is not an NGO, it is movement. It is movement towards making people aware about disabilities and also encouraging other NGOs and communities to take up this model and modify the parks in their neighborhood to make it more disabled-friendly.

Poverty is everywhere. The photos below were uploaded from people around the world as a cry for help on behalf of those who can not afford to help themselves.

Homeless Mike by Leroy Skalstad

Brother and sister by Cambodia Trust

Some of our first kids in Nicaragua by Empowerment International

Proper Hygiene by the John J. Carroll Institue

Child Labor by OgGie Duque

There are many causes of poverty, but there are also many charities, organizations, and individuals working to help. If you want to get involved, you can find some of these organizations here on Collective Lens, or elsewhere on Change.org, Idealist, or Make Poverty History.