The new website for Winds of Africa has launched, and features many of the photographs that I took during the month I worked with them in late 2011:
NGO Photography
New Recommendation from SPANA on LinkedIn
Today I received a recommendation from SPANA relating to the project I worked on in Ethiopia earlier this year. Here's what they had to say:
Anna is an experienced photographer and is expert in Photographing. She is also sociable and dedicated to her activities. I have no reservation to recommend Anna for any scale of activities which require photographing. She also uses a modern digital camera for her photographing. I wish her a successful life.
SPANA, February 5, 2012.
If you would like to see this recommendation, and others, please feel free to view my Linkedin profile
New Website for Uzi Island Sea Turtle Conservation
The brand new website for Uzi Island Sea Turtle Conservation has launched, featuring many of the photographs that I took whilst staying on the island and working with the project recently:
Working with SPANA in Ethiopia
I've just returned from working with the Society of Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA) in Ethiopia. It was a privilege to work with such a great organization, and to document their work with working animals, from education and training to free mobile vet clinics. The first day, we drove out of Addis Ababa and seemed to slip back in time as we reached a station under the bridge, where horses and carriages waited to take people up the dirt roads beyond, where the local transport would not travel. We made our way to the location of the mobile veterinary clinic, where there must have been 30-40 men waiting with their horses. The SPANA team began the clinic by giving a small talk about proper harnessing (one of the main causes of preventable injury in Ethiopian working horses), and offered free harnesses to those who needed them. After the introduction, the clinic began, with horses being seen in the order that they arrived. Cases ranged from mild injuries caused by ill-fitting harnesses, bits and over-work to the most serious cases where an appointment for euthanasia had to be made. This was the first of many mobile veterinary clinics that I photographed.
The SPANA team worked tirelessly to not only provide free medical care, but also to train local owners about how to take better care of their animals. Although there were some cases that were hard to watch, it was inspiring to see the work that SPANA are doing and to meet some local horse owners and hear about how much they have learnt and how their families have benefited from the assistance. Here are a few photos from the trip (excluding the medical case studies and specialized stories, which will be published by SPANA on their website and other media):
For more information about SPANA and the work that they do for the working animals of the world, have a look at their website.
Working with The Barefoot Initiative in Ethiopia
Just had the most amazing month out in the Afar region of Ethiopia working with the Australian non-profit NGO, Barefoot Initiative. We slept on the floor of a mud hut, gathered wood to make fire, and trekked a couple of kilometers to the river each day. The Awash River (with the occasional crocodile on the banks) was where we washed ourselves and out clothes each day. We also collected the muddy brown water to take back to our hut for cooking and drinking water. I spent the days photographing the Barefoot Initiative team and projects and also the community, who became good friends. The work that Barefoot are doing in the community is inspirational and empowering. The photographs will form an exhibition series, which we will show as a fundraiser over the coming years to raise funding for the project.
Working with the Brooke in Kenya
I have just returned from an assignment in Kenya, with the Brooke, who are an inspirational UK organization whose focus is working animals, in particular horses and donkeys. I always enjoy working with the Brooke, due to the nature of their work combined with the amazing team who work with them around the world. Over the 10 day assignment with KENDAT (The Brooke's partner team in Kenya), we travelled to regions of Kenya in the south, from Mwea region, to Nairobi, Lari and Limuru Region and further afield. The photographic landscapes were diverse, as were the case studies with mostly donkeys. We documented educational programs that the Brooke have facilitated in schools with the motto of: “Heshimu Punda” (Kiswahili for Respect the Donkey). Children began to understand at a young age that their working animals at home required care and basic necessities, such as shelter, food and love. Most of the work I photographed with the Brooke was capturing the results of stories, where the Brooke and KENDAT have made a really positive impact on various communities, by way of education, local training and support to facilitate self sustaining programs. They are an amazing organization. If you like the photos here, check out their website to see more of the photos that I have taken while working with them.
Participate Now Zanzibar: Welezo Old Age Home
Over the past month in Zanzibar, I have had the pleasure of getting to know an incredible American woman called Kathryn Sutton who is the director of Participate Now, a local non-profit organization. Kathryn is an amazing lady to talk with, from her history and story about how she ended up in Zanzibar, to the work that she has initiated with her NGO there. She works on grass roots development projects, only assisting those who want assistance, in a realistic and sustainable manner. Kathryn will only assist in a way that will actually be of benefit, and only where people are actively seeking assistance. Participate Now is a transparent organization, with all funds raised going directly to local projects. One of the projects that Participate Now supports is Welezo Old Age Home in Stone Town, Zanzibar. Welezo is a government funded old age home, run by three nuns; whilst there is some basic funding there from the government, Participate Now assists Welezo with additional funding to make life a little more comfortable for some of the residents.
To find out more about Welezo, or Participate Now, have a look at their website
Sea Turtle Conservation on Uzi Island, Zanzibar
I recently spent 3 weeks living on Uzi Island, off the coast of Zanzibar, in Tanzania, East Africa The time I spent there was documenting the Uzi Island Sea Turtle Conservation project, that is being set up by local Uzians. Aliy and Iss-haka, who are behind the project, have been working long hours not only to try and raise funding to work on their project, but also to tray and change the viewpoints of their fellow Uzians, and teach them the importance of preserving the coastline, marine life, and in particular the turtles. It's been a battle for them to try and convince the local fishermen to hand over turtles rather than killing them for food. Aliy and Iss-haka have managed to see their project come to life over the past 12 months with a sanctuary area being built for rescued turtles to live in safely until they are released. Some local tour companies have been supporting them with raising the funds to do this, and they hope to work with them in the future to provide eco-tourism tours from Zanzibar to Uzi Island. The photographs I have taken over the past few weeks will be used to build a website for the Uzi Island Turtle Conservation project, which I will share on this blog once it is launched. In the meantime, here are some photos from my time there:
© Anna Fawcus
Uzi Island, 2011
Working with Winds of Africa
in Africa, Humanitarian, NGO Photography, Nikon, Photography, Tanzania, WoA
Over the past month, I have spent some time in East Africa with an American organization called Winds of Africa, in Tanzania. This non-profit organization has a focus on education, and supports schools in small communities. I spent some time in the Maasai community that they support, and also in the Bomba'Ngombe Vocational Training centre. Many of the photographs that I took will be featured on the new Winds of Africa website that is being re-launched early next year. For more information about Winds of Africa (WoA) have a look at their website.
Oxfam America Video: Guatemala: Heart of our Mother Earth
Some of the photography work I did with Oxfam America in Guatemala earlier this year has now been published in a video about the Marlin Mine, by Chris Hufstader. You can view it below, or share it through the YouTube link
[youtube width="550" height="350" video_id="gPiokKhmR6k"]
Article: Mining a Grave Concern in Guatemala's Election
Back in June I did some work with Oxfam America in Guatemala. There is an interesting new article “Mining a Grave Concern in Guatemala's Election” on the 'Policy Innovations' Website, that features one of the photos I took. The story is a very interesting read, about mining in Guatemala, with reference to the notorious Marlin Mine.
The Brooke Annual Review 2010/11
Some of my photographs from Guatemala have been published by the Brooke in their annual review.
Oxfam America Article: Guatemala’s presidential election: A golden opportunity to end mining conflict
A very interesting article about Guatemala, featuring a photograph that I took when working with Oxfam America in Guatemala earlier this year.
Living onboard the Yavari on Lake Titicaca
I've spent the last couple of weeks living onboard the Yavari, a 150 year old British gunship, on Lake Titicaca, in Puno, Peru. I've been staying on the boat as a guest of the Peruvian Times, whilst shooting part of a cookbook in the local area, which will be a fundraising project to help with the future plans for the Yavari. Here's a few photos of the Yavari from the past couple of weeks:
For more information on the Yavari project, B&B, or history of the boat, have a look at their website.
Sacred Valley Project in Cusco
Some of the photos I took in the hills Cusco for the Sacred Valley Project have now been published on the Sacred Valley Website.
FcLcc: Community Learning Cultural Centre in Peru
Over the past couple of months in Peru, I have spent quite a lot of time with an inspirational individual and his small theatre group, out in the suburbs of Lima, in Villa Maria del Triunfo. Fernando Flores has been pushing to open a local drama centre to make theatre accessible to youth from the area who may otherwise not be able to afford it. 45% of the people living in Villa María del Triunfo live on or below the poverty line. Fernando is a qualified performing arts teacher, who is employed to teach at ENSAD in the centre of Lima. He currently volunteers his time in several local schools who have no budget in their curriculum for drama classes. He also teaches a young theatre troupe in his spare time, in both performing arts, and also in teaching for those who are interested.
Richard Coates, a British man has been working with Fernando to put together a non-profit organization and raise the funding required to one day open a large performing arts centre in Villa Maria del Triunfo. For more information on FcLcc as a non-profit organization in the UK, and to find out about what they are doing, please check out their website
Here are a few photos of Fernando at work, and in his community, working with theatre students:
Working with the Peruvian Times
I've recently been doing a few small assignments for the Peruvian Times, whilst I've been in Peru. I've visited with a couple of small non-profit organizations, one in Lima, and one in Sacred Valley, Cusco. I've also been working in the region around Puno on a collection of photographs for an upcoming cooking book for the Peruvian Times, which will be used to raise funding for the Yavari Project. The cooking book is from a slightly different angle, showing the farmers, factories, growers and markets, as well as the final meals on plates, so it has been a great few weeks traveling through the countryside, through coffee factories, quinoa plants, local markets, a trout fishing farm, as well as some of Puno's finest restaurants, and hidden gems. I look forward to sharing more when the book is released, but in the meantime, here are a few photos:
© Anna Fawcus / Peruvian Times 2011
© Anna Fawcus / Peruvian Times 2011
© Anna Fawcus / Peruvian Times 2011
© Anna Fawcus / Peruvian Times 2011
© Anna Fawcus / Peruvian Times 2011
© Anna Fawcus / Peruvian Times 2011
© Anna Fawcus / Peruvian Times 2011
© Anna Fawcus / Peruvian Times 2011
© Anna Fawcus / Peruvian Times 2011
Oxfam America Article: What God was thinking when he created women
Here’s a link to a story about one of the women I photographed in Guatemala when working with Oxfam America. This article talks about the strength, courage and leadership of one woman who chose to believe in herself, and inspire others around her to stop violence against women and girls in Guatemala. This beautifully written article by Chris Hufstader talks about Ines Santizo (pictured above) and her work as part of a program Oxfam America is supporting.
Assignment in Honduras with iDE
I've recently finished working with iDE (International Development Enterprises) in Honduras, where we have traveled the countryside documenting their work there. During the couple of weeks that I spent with the iDE team in Honduras, we met with farmers, and community groups to look at some of the recent initiatives, including foot pumps, watering systems and other agriculture systems.
For more info on iDE initiatives and projects, have a look at their website.
Recommendation from GFI on LinkedIn
Anna Fawcus was both a wonderful person to work with and a simply great photographer. She had the unique ability to work within the culturally sensitive environment that our work takes place and still provide an intimacy and connection to the subject that was reflected in rich photos that told the story that we had never been able to accurately capture on film. Additionally, Anna brought a wealth of creative ideas and valuable perspectives to the work that she did so that along with images we also got rich insights, and approaches to our work and to the story that it embodied that we would not have gotten without her.
Global Fairness Initiative, June 13, 2011.
If you would like to see this recommendation, and others, please feel free to view my Linkedin profile