Eyes on Life: Empowering Youth in South America

Photography Program Captures the Youthful Spirit of Peru

(from April 2009)

I am 2700 meters above sea level, trying to catch my breath. I am gasping not only because of the altitude but also because of the beauty of the Andes that surround Cajamarca in Northern Peru.

I am here to teach kids about photography and I have mixed feelings. First of all I do not speak Spanish, and secondly, I have never done anything like this in my life, ever. So, I am excited and scared.

Why would I do such a crazy thing? Inject myself into a remote culture so far removed from my own roots? And one of the poorest places in Peru? Well, I have always dreamed of visiting South America and I thought this would be a meaningful way to do it all; teach and inspire kids, learn Spanish, experience another culture, connect with like-minded people, and have fun too.

I arrive in Peru, armed with 15 digital cameras, extra batteries and accessories, all donated by friends and family and delighted to be very far away from the blustery Canadian winter of 2009.

In 2008 I designed a program called “Eyes on Life” a Photography Program that empowers youth and gives them an outlet for self-expression. Using photography to capture the imaginations of children, build their confidence and self esteem was a challenge I could embrace after much planning.

For the next 8 weeks my home will be “Incawasi” a non-profit organization located in the centre of Cajamarca, a very Spanish, colourful, bustling colonial city of 150,000 off the beaten tourist path. Incawasi consists of about 40 young and vibrant kids from disadvantaged areas between 13-17 years old. Some of the kids walk down from the hills, which takes hours a day to get to the school, rapidly wearing out their shoes. Children spend every day here learning through the various activities that the international volunteers organize. The school also feeds the children daily and as I found out for most of them, this is their only real meal each day.

I take the kids out on location with the cameras and they are instantly photographers, snapping at everything they can; eating up batteries like there's no tomorrow, asking questions and showing me their creations, “mira prof, mira!” one kid says (look professor, look!) I've never been called a professor before, but I am starting to like it.

I've never seen kids so happy. They snap photos of everything; the vast panorama of their sprawling city with the Andes flowing in the distance, the abundant fruits at the markets, prominent statues, the street parades that come out of nowhere, beautiful gardens, impressive Cathedrals, and mangy stray dogs.

I am starting to worry as with their fresh eyes and perspective they are taking better photos than me! But it is the photos they capture of themselves that really have a lasting impression; simple and innocent, a snapshot of their life and existence in an extreme environment.

Although I teach the kids the rules about photography; composition and how to frame their photos, the power of colour, the use of texture and repetition, they quickly realize that rules are meant to be broken. Their most powerful and interesting photos are the ones that stray from the norm and smash all the traditional rules that bind creativity in.

I was lucky enough to also teach at the Bill Gates School in Santa Barbara, Peru. The kids here are so eager, so full of life and love and willingness to learn that it inspires me to be in their presence. I was so happy to help them find their voice, to help them realize that they have something worth communicating and to believe in.

At times I had to remind myself; these kids live in one of the most harsh and unforgiving regions in Peru where 65% of people are surviving in extreme poverty. Their struggles were evident; hunger, oppression, disease, social inequalities, and lack of quality education, things that we in Canada take for granted. Some of the young kids even work all night on the streets to support their families.

The day I left Peru the kids sang Spanish songs, they made me beautiful cards (written in Spanish!) and we celebrated by dancing into the crisp Andean night around a warm fire, as time stood still.

Even though there was a language barrier, our connection was epic. In the end it wasn't even about photography, it was about something bigger; it was about human connection and I embraced it all. My message to my students was clear; “It doesn't matter what your situation is, if you can dream it you can do it”.

Team Canada Shoots for Success in Haiti

Healing Hands of Hope for Earthquake Survivors

"5 days ago Sony couldn't walk. He's now my success story."

These are profound words from Dorothy Drost, but when you witness first-hand the miraculous outcome the Physiotherapist from Canada has accomplished with her patient Sony, words just can't explain the little miracles that are happening in Haiti. 12 year-old Sony was a victim of the January 12, 2010 earthquake. 60 seconds of terror and his life was shattered as his little body was trapped in the rubble for 3 days. Finding care for Sony in the aftermath of the disaster was a nightmare: he was transported from place to place because nobody knew how to treat his injuries.

Today he is walking on his own, with a little help from Dorothy.

And this was the case with many other spinal cord injuries in Haiti, at least 100 others according to the Director of St. Boniface Hospital, Conor Shapiro. "Our little hospital in Fond des Blancs suddenly became known for treating and rehabilitating spinal cord injuries, because there was no other place for them to go." he says. "We had an enormous task at hand to help treat and rehabilitate these people."

The small hospital in rural Haiti is treating about 20 of the specialized cases, which has taken a serious toll on it's resources.

Three months after the quake enter Team Canada.

Team Canada Healing Hands has been working in Haiti since 2005, mostly providing teams of experts to support rehab initiatives in the capital Port-au-Prince. Working with children in Orphanages, the non-profit organization (NGO) makes and supplies prosthetic limbs and teaches well being and good nutrition not just for kids with disabilities, but the general population as well. Healing Hands sends teams to Haiti that includes physicians, pediatricians, family doctors, orthopedic surgeons, nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists among others. Though their clinic in Port-au-Prince was destroyed in the earthquake, a new Prosthetic & Orthotic clinic has already been set up with help from Handicap International, and is being run by local staff and expatriates. As their presence in Haiti remains strong, the new relationship with St. Boniface Hospital in Fond des Blancs has also given Healing Hands an excellent opportunity in which more people will benefit.

For this week-long mission at St. Boniface Hospital, 5 professional women from Healing Hands focussed on rehabilitation, self care and training the staff and families on how to deal with spinal cord injuries. The team has come together with their expertise, collaborated and integrated with the staff at St. Boniface Hospital.

"It was a perfect-fit in a time of desperate need" explains Hospital Director Conor Shapiro.

Occupational Therapist Patti Byrne, one of the members of Team Canada explains the situation they faced at St. Boniface "Spinal cord injuries are very difficult to care for and the support that these patients need are enormous. A lot of teaching needs to be done, not just with treatments, but how to get patients mobile and ultimately live as independently as possible. In a place where there is no training for physiotherapists, occupational therapists or rehabilitation, Haiti needs all the help it can get, especially now. Even before the earthquake there were no inpatient rehabilitation units to be found in the country."

Life goes on after the earthquake, and many of the victims face a future of uncertainty. "It's difficult to see how helpless they are, but we can bring our resources and expertise and teach them how to cope as best as possible. Many of them thought we were here to make them walk again. There is always hope, but at this point the reality is most will live the rest of their lives as paraplegics."

The main task at hand is finding wheelchairs for those who are ready to be discharged. Team Canada has been busy measuring the patients and coordinating the delivery of the tailor-made wheelchairs. Special wheels and suspension are needed that will allow for the rugged terrain of rural Haiti with unique padding on the seat that decreases pressure sores on the body. Most importantly, these wheelchairs will help them become mobile and allow them to transfer themselves to their beds all on their own.

And encouraging these patients to become independent is what it's all about.

"It's not all easy" Patti says. Her 22 year-old patient Personna is having a difficult time adjusting to his new reality after losing his family and becoming a paraplegic. "When I was helping him into his bed, I noticed he had no clean clothes, so I washed them. When I gave him his clean laundry the smile on his face was priceless."

These days in Haiti it's the simple things that are appreciated.

"One of the most depressing aspects of it all is you know that everyone in the country is struggling" Patti admits. "But it's amazing to see how people are engaging and families are coming together with courage and dignity. I am in awe of the situation here. Every little bit we do makes a difference."

Bolivia has Arrived

There was the military. There were colourful flags waving in the vast Andean sky. There were thousands of people. Indigenous people. Business people. Press people. Important people. So much color. So much culture. So much energy. Coca leaves were being chewed. There was music and dancing and chanting. Drums and flutes. The air was electric.

Then there was Evo.

It was a historical and surreal event at Tiwanaku, the awesome ancient backdrop to this ceremonial proclamation, two hours from La Paz city.

It was like you were transported back in time: experiencing an ancient and primitive ritual.

A helicopter carrying the Bolivian President flew overhead at precisely 1:00 pm. to a very excited crowd. As the mass of souls patiently waited for a glimpse of their leader their anticipation grew.

Traditionally dressed, the President emerged shortly on top of a hill waving to his ecstatic kingdom, being blessed by spirits and the indigenous elders and guides that surrounded him, protecting him like a newborn baby as if to welcome him into the new, very complex world.

I can't tell you exactly what happened there that day at the ruins of Tiawanaku, Bolivia, but I can say that it was a privilege to be there and to experience the fire, the passion, the triumph and possibly the birth of a new Bolivia.

La Paz is Collapsing

Overexposed to the images coming out of Haiti? Then this may seem like nothing in comparison: in Bolivia this month over 26,000 families have lost their homes due to heavy rains and flooding.

Last week in Bella Vista in the southern part of the city, a landslide occurred in the early morning levelling hundreds of houses. Thankfully nobody was injured, which is completely amazing when you see the aftermath.

The continuous sprawl of shoddy and probably illegal houses could not compete with the power of nature; and at least 200 active rivers that run beneath La Paz, making much of the city akin to a house of cards.

So why do they keep building here I ask?

When I was scrambling through the ruins shooting I was surprised, as many residents were happy just to salvage whatever they could digging out buried possesions with their bare hands: a radio, a crunched fridge, a child's doll, a mattress, a door, or their favourite blanket. It's like they've done this all before.

Most of the homeless have now moved on and many are now living in makeshift tents without amenities. A prompt visit by President Evo Morales lifted the spirits of the victims and numerous donations were offered by the public.

This is all very new to me, to be able to cross that line and stride past the Bolivian Military Police with my shiny new International Press Credentials, but I struggle with reporting on disasters where humans are in distress.

It makes me feel a bit devious and intrusive. Yet when I am this close to life and death and witness the strength and power of the human spirit in the poorest country in South America, it's uplifting, it's inspiring, it's like a drug and I just can't get enough.

Help Wanted: Sherpa needed asap

Lugging my gear around Peru and Bolivia for 3 months has taken it's toll (2 SLR bodies, 4 lenses, and a Macbook, ouch dwele mi espalda)

So much so, I have decided to hire a Sherpa (I know, I know, wrong continent but I just love saying "SHERPA")

Qualifications:
Must be in good enough health to tote 30 lbs. of camera equipment at high altitudes
Ability to boot-up a Macintosh Computer using llama feces or cow dung
Good at hacking wi-fi passwords
Can track down the (insert bad word here) who stole my iphone
Excellent knowledge of Photoshop CS4 Studio
Cook a meal sin potatoes, corn or animal hoofs
Give swedish massages (no happy endings required)
Can shave a head without an electric razor, scissors or broken ceramic pieces

Salary: peanuts (yes, the peanuts here are that delicious!)

Sherpa, Sherpa, Sherpa, necesito una Sherpa! (sing it with me)

Che and Lays: Where have you gone?

News flash: there are no Lays potato chips in Bolivia, I have searched the streets for them believe me. Thousands of vendors. They just don't exist.

They have disappeared along with Che Gueverra.

That's it. I'm leaving.

At least in Peru when you are tired of eating guinea pig and chicken feet and have serious munchies you can hunt down that big crunchy yellow bag with the red letters "L-A-Y-S" rip it open, and smell that instant puff of glory. (like when someone first lights a cigarette after it rains in the spring and you inhale even though you know it's killing you, but you love it, but then you hate it, I miss that)

You then disgustingly wolf down the entire bag, washing it all down ever so satisfyingly with a nice warm coke or a very peculiarly coloured Fanta.

You may look like a gringo on crack, but who cares?

Enter the Bolivian impostor Pringles, neatly packed and stacked with a texture like asphalt.

Pringles may seem like a buena idea at the time to satisfy, but they just don't cut it.

They. Don't. Cut. The. Mustard. (and don't get me started on Bolivian mustard)

Damn, tengo hambre ahora.

Zebras on the loose in Bolivia

Being a pedestrian in La Paz city can be a real hazard. Immediately you are hit with a wall of smog, and then you try to cross any street; it´s like a game of frogger. But fear no more as there are zebras here to the rescue. yeah that´s right, zebras. The furry striped mascots can be spotted throughout the cityscape at some of the busiest intersections, helping the herds of people cross the rivers of danger. There are many strange and interesting things to see here in the bustling city; a golden cowboy, a ragged lady with her tambourine, 5 year old boys dressed in traditional garb strumming on their tiny worn out, out-of-tune guitars, all hoping for some dinero to make it through another day. All of them make me smile and wonder, but it´s those cute traffic zebras that help us on our way in this crazy urban jungle.