a personal project
in the fall of 2011, I started a small workgroup with ten fourth graders from Sean and Will's school to help them engage with the world in new ways and realize that they can make a difference. the kids grew passionately concerned about the global water crisis and soon partnered with Sarswati Peace School in Arupokhari, Nepal, selling handmade greeting cards, organizing a tombola and giving up birthday gifts to raise funds and help provide the students and local community with safe drinking water.
a few weeks later, I developed an idea for a photo collaboration with the students from Sarswati Peace School where children in France and Nepal would capture and share images from their daily lives following six simple prompts: what I eat, animals, my school, where I sleep, where I shop and where I live.
at first, it seemed fairly easy. but it turned out to be much harder than I had expected. and I spent many days sitting on my living-room floor sorting through hundreds of photos wishing I had done things differently. but then I would look at the kids and remember their boundless enthusiasm as they all leaped at the chance to do something for others. and that helped me keep going. the project was sponsored by French non-profit organization Secours Populaire Français and eventually raised more than $6.500, bringing clean water to the 200 students of Sarswati Peace School and to the local community of 300+ people.
the photos were recently on exhibit at École Élémentaire Paris in Boulogne, France.
you can see them here.
Aug 20, 2012
Reader Comments (8)
Bethany: thank you, it was indeed inspiring and motivating to see kids rally around this project. I'm really happy you like it.
Alexandria: thank you!