"PHOTOteach"

Before I came to Ghana, I made a list of goals, a list of things that I wanted to see and do. I wanted to do art in Ghana, to do photography, to find an artist to work with. I wanted to use my free time to do artsy things, and I wanted to explore Ghana through the lens of my camera.

Tuesday, I was feeling a bit discouraged that I had already been here for almost two months, but that I had yet to find that "perfect connection" that I had been searching for.

Our statistics class was canceled for the day (a slight frustration after walking clear across campus to the Statistics Department), so McKenzie and I had time to kill before our Art History class. As we walked into the computer lab in IPO (International Programs Office), the word "PHOTO" on a white piece of computer paper grabbed my eye, so I quickly paused to read it.

I wish I could recall what it said exactly, but I think I was just too excited at the time. It was a simple piece of paper, explaining a photography project that someone was trying to raise funds for. She was selling "no-bake" oatmeal cookies (3 for $1.50), in hopes of raising money (while I'm sure, at the same time, hoping to appeal to the International Students that miss homemade treats so much)for the project. It said that she would be teaching 8 children the "basics of photography". I could not have been in a more "right place" at the "right time". She suggested that anyone interested should text "PHOTO" to her cell phone, as she promised to be in touch. The poster was signed, "-Miriam".

I had no idea if Miriam was a Ghanaian, a professor at the University of Ghana, another international student, a local who was transplanted from the US, etc. So, I texted her, expressing my interest in helping with the project. I would love to help teach, raise funds, brainstorm ideas and lessons--anything I could do to help. I would. I mean, seriously, this project is so similar to a project that I have visualized for such a long time, I would do anything to help make it come alive!

Today, I met with Miriam Alvarado. She is a student (about my age) from the University of California-Berkley. She is so artsy and inspiring. I have always wanted a good girl friend, close in age, to bounce photography ideas off of, to inspire me, to share in their heart and eye for photography...and it seems like, today, our paths finally crossed!

We met in front of a library on campus, under the sweltering sun, throwing ideas back and forth, excited at the thought of making this dream a reality--and together! When asking her where she derived her inspiration, she told me that her inspiration was rooted in the 2004 American documentary called Born into Brothels (which is ironically, a movie that my friend Brandon, here, had highly recommended to me a few weeks back). Born into Brothels is about the children of prostitutes in Calcutta's (India) red-light district. A female documentary photographer offered to teach the children, to reciprocate being allowed to photograph their prostitute mothers. She gave each child a camera, in hopes that it might somehow make a difference in their lives. The filmmakers of the movie recorded the photo classes, as well as glimpses of the children's lives in the red-light district. The children's work was exhibited, and one child's work ended up in a photography conference in Amsterdam. (Information from Wikipedia.com)

Miriam used a similar idea, in teaching photo classes to underprivileged children on a trip to Mumbai, India. She created lesson plans, taught photo classes, assigned assignments and gave each of the children his/her own camera and film. She said that the experience taught her so much and enabled her to look through new eyes. She enjoyed learning about what the children valued and explored what they saw as being "beautiful".

This semester, Miriam is going to continue a similar project in a slum here in Accra, and I will be joining her! We will be teaching 8 students, for 10 weeks, for an hour or more each week. We will raise money to buy each child a film camera ($10/each), as well as funds for film and developing for each assignment. She estimates the projected costs to be $300.00. At the conclusion of 10 weeks, we hope to create an exhibit, showing off all of the children's photos.

I could not be more excited about this project. We will teach classes each Wednesday, beginning October 8th. Miriam and I will brainstorm class topics, such as lighting, composition, angles, cropping, etc. I told her about Project Polaroid, and we hope to tie that in somehow, as well. I am so super excited, as it is one of my dreams to one day begin an art/photo program for inner-city kids in America. I hope to learn about what works and what doesn't in teaching children photography, and I'm sure they will teach me so much more than I could ever teach them.