Thursday 18 September 2008

Journey to Rwanda

This new header is a photo I took when I travelled to Rwanda, Africa in November 2006. Jessen and I were there for 5 weeks teaching photography at an orphanage.
We took with us 10 digital cameras, a printer and some photographic paper.
The children aged between 15 and 20 had never seen a digital camera before but it didn't take them long to learn to take some fabulous photos.
Just before we left we helped the kids put on a photographic exhibition at the orphanage and invited the whole village....it was a huge success.
The latest exciting news is at the beginning of 2008 the lady that runs the orphanage set up a photographic studio in the village which the students run and it pays their wages as well as some money going back to the orphanage.
I'd love to return to Rwanda to see the beautiful countryside again and catch up with those lovely young people.
I also made a scrapblog of the time we spent there, so at the click of a button I can be transported back in time.

I was in the right place at the right time for this photo
One of my favourite photos
Some of the orphans we taught photography

Children watching footage of themselves in the video camera

Jessen and Amiee at the photo exhibition the kids put on

7 comments:

McMGrad89 said...

I love the photos. The first one especially. Isn't it amazing how "connected" our children are (even children who are wards of the state here in the US.) Sometimes we forget that not everyone has an iPod and computer. Thanks for sharing these photos.

Wendy said...

This is very nice! I love these pictures. I have decided on Mondays I am going to add a new feature to my blog. "Avtcoach's Three Sites to See". I am sharing three sites that I think inspire and reflect a theme of valuing nature and other parts of the world. I am including this wonderful post in my three for this week, your header picture warms my heart! See Monday's post!

Roban said...

Oh, what an exciting thing to do.... I can't imagine what that must have been like to visit the orphanage and bring the gift of photography to the youth there. That is exactly the kind of thing I would like to do one day. To not only see a beautiful country, but share something that I love with the people who live there.

I haven't been able to cruise around scrapblog much lately, but I will be sure to look at the book you made about your trip to Rwanda soon.

Roban

Anonymous said...

How wonderful Peg, what you did for these children. Love your music too! Here is the link of our blogmeeting photos: http://fotoalbum.seniorennet.be/catwoman/blogmeeting2008/

My photos are at the end, it was fun. From 2 to 6 pm we had our meeting, which was mostly talking to our blogfriends. Then dinner, then a "sweepstake", and then dancing. Everyone loved it. Hugs, Alida

Wendy said...

Your post was very kind. Actually you inspire me! I'll check in often!

Danyele Easterhaus said...

it is so refreshing for me to see happy children in rwanda since we know there is so much that is bad happening there. i love the idea of using the photography to reach out and bring the kiddos together! oh, i found you through AVT Coach...and she's right...you r fabulous!

Jennifer Chronicles (jenx67.com) said...

Wow. I'm envious. I wish I could go!