Saturday, December 5, 2009

Ladies and Gentlemen, The Rwanda Project


About the Project, in their own words:

"Through the Eyes of Children began as a photographic workshop in 2000, conceived by photographer, David Jiranek, and inspired by the founder of the Imbabazi Orphanage, Rosamond Carr- an American woman living in Rwanda since 1955. Using disposable cameras, the children originally took pictures for themselves and to share with others, exploring their community, and finding beauty as the country struggles to rebuild."

"Initially, the pictures were developed locally, displayed on the orphanage walls and put into photo albums by the children. In 2001, the children were invited by the US Embassy to exhibit their work in the capital, Kigali, where the pictures were sold, with all proceeds going towards the education of the children. In the 2001
Camera Arts Magazine Photo Contest, 8-year-old Jacqueline won "First Prize — Portraiture," and the project has won Honorable Mention in an international competition featuring professional and non-professional photographers from around the world."

"Today, the children shoot with both disposable cameras, and for the first time in 2005, digital cameras. The photos are printed to archival, exhibition standards. With a donation of $100, you can receive a free 13" x 19" exhibit print of your choice. With a donation of $1,000, you can receive an edition of 13 prints taken by the participating children."

"The goal of this project is to share with the world the perspective of the children, to provide an opportunity to reflect on the tragedy of the genocide by observing life through the eyes of Rwanda’s children."

"Today, the children’s work is traveling around the US and abroad in an exhibition that provides a unique look at Rwanda and at the lives of the children affected by the genocide, as they mature. It encourages the viewer to experience the life of a country that is in the process of rebuilding, of looking towards a hopeful future – through the eyes of children."

Why this is important:
Children offer a perspective of the world that adults can no longer see; a more innocent, less biased and less political view of their surroundings. Children cannot contextualize their suffering in terms of past history and national tensions, they see what they see with little pretension. For this reason I will be exploring the idea of children and personal documentation and how beyond the buzz of media, sometimes the simplest responses are the wisest ones.

How you can help The Rwanda Project:
For a direct donation, please visit the following secure website: Donate
For a donation of $100 or more, you are eligible for a once-in-a-lifetime 13x19 photograph from one of the Rwandan students.

Donations can also be mailed to :
Through the Eyes of Children:The Rwanda Project
P.O. Box 74
Old Greenwich, CT 06870

To donate a camera of 4 mb or higher, please contact:
info@rwandaproject.org

Peace,
Patrick

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