The Future Of Haiti
Before I left to Haiti, I promised that I would try to show the good work being done by volunteers and relief works on the ground in Haiti.
One such project was an orphanage I came across in my first couple of days in Haiti. It had been established after the earthquake, not far from Port-Au-Prince International airport. It houses over 100 children, provides basic shelter, sanitation and medical as well as education the children in Creole, French and English as well as other basic subjects. Food and water are also provided, which for some of these children is the first time they have been fed properly. The plan for the orphanage is to get each child sponsored for life, so they can be continually supported in a fashion that will enable them to live a full life, with a decent education, nourishment and happiness. The children are the future of Haiti. Helping the kids of Haiti is a long-term investment.
For me as a photographer, being part of this orphanage project was probably the most important project I could undertake on this trip. While there are lots of important actions being taken to save people’s lives in the short term and to provide immediate relief, long term actions are vital and any support of the future of this beautiful country is vital.
I took a day out of photographing all other relief efforts and took portraits of over 100 children in the orphanage. I did a portrait of each orphan and then a photo of each with a plaque showing their name and age. The purpose is to use the images on the web to help each child get sponsored. If you want to help Haiti recover from the horror of the last month, give what you can to help an orphan live a full, healthy life. These kids are absolutely amazing. Read my descriptions under the photos below for some heart-warming stories of the utter beauty and humanity evident in each and every child.
More information and more of my photos are available at the link below. Please give what you can:
TheFutureOfHaiti.org
The orphans line up to wash their hands before eating lunch.
Orphans being given their daily lunch. These kids line up like the best behaved of all British people. There's nothing quite as moving as seeing a child that has lived in a malnourished state develop physically from day to day. This is what is happening every day at the orphanage, and it's as simple as giving each kid lunch, dinner and some clean water to drink.
The kids are provided with clean drinking water, but are charged with keeping their own cups or bottles so they can keep the water as provisions have been made for locally sourced water to be purified and drunk by the kids.
An orphan drinks water in a rare spot shaded by the sun.
The orphanage is working in coordination with a variety of organizations including medical teams that provide basic medical needs, vaccinations and other relief. The effect is always immediate, kids who've had very basic medical issues are now doing a lot better.
They are also working with HelpTheOrphans.org who help support the orphans.
Local projects include showing these children soccer skills. With good nutrition, the orphans have a real chance to excel at sports projects. Malnourishment is a problem as bones of malnourished children break easily, particularly during sports.
The children are provided with a basic education, some of them for the first time. A lot of kids wish more than anything to be able to go to school and attain an education - a guarantee that they can make it in the future.
A sampling of the orphan portraits I shot:
I'll end this blog post with a somewhat tragic story that has a happy ending. This particular kid, Amateur, came to the orphanage on the day I was doing the shoot. He had been on the street for an undetermined time, without anyone to look after him. He had injuries to front and the back of his head and no-one knows how these were inflicted. He was afraid of physical contact with any adults or other kids. It was obvious he had been abused in some fashion. He did not know his own age, a fact that hit me hard. This child will never know how old he is, he will never know his birthday and most of all he will never again have parents. He was probably the 60th orphan I had photographed on the day, but when he couldn't name his age, I was truly affected. I took a break and had to wipe my eyes, something had gotten into them. He is now safe and well, being fed and relearning what it means to trust other human beings.
Again, if you want to help go to TheFutureOfHaiti.org – any donation will help.
If you are interested in other Haiti news, why not subscribe to this blog.
Documenting relief efforts in Haiti
You’ve no doubt heard of the situation of the earthquake that has devastated large swathes of Haiti.
I’ve put this all over twitter and facebook, but I’ve just booked my flight to New York as I’ve been asked to come document relief efforts in relief. There are efforts being coordinated in NYC that I’ll be photographing as well as following a team of volunteers and medical personnel to Haiti. I will be in Haiti for about a week. Aid flights are sporadic and I don’t want to assume that I can get on the first one out. A medically trained person has priority, as do many other’s more skilled than I. My trip to New York has been set up under my own steam, I will have assistance to get out to Haiti once I am there. Accommodation will likely be in tents outside, on a camping mat and sleeping bag, all of which will be in my luggage.
While there are lot of news photographers out there, I will be concentrating on showing stories, showing how the relief work is helping the people of Haiti. There’s a lot of good being done in the area. People’s lives are being rebuilt and medical assistance is getting through to some areas. The best efforts of all the international relief cannot bring food and water to areas that are desperately inaccessible but that’s no reason not to try.
I’ve heard about a team of film-makers following a doctor around Haiti as part of some documentary footage being filmed – I am not going to be involved in anything like that. I want to come back with images that show the hope and the grace that results form someone being helped put their life back in order, similar to what I did in India.
If you have any questions, feel free to email me. I’ll have intermittent access. My work is going up to various organisations that I’m working with I’ll also be putting some stuff on twitter and facebook. To follow me on twitter go to www.twitter.com/felixkunze
My ultimate goal is to help bring the good side of what is now happening in Haiti out, to show people that there is hope, and through this encourage more people to give, more people to do something and help put the situation into perspective.
I am looking for further funding too, there’s always more I can bring to the area. We need supplies of all sorts. But even if you can’t help this trip directly, please give to the red cross or any other reputable organization in your area that is doing something to help.
Stay tuned for more.