The World in Focus Blog
On assignment for Athletes in Action, I have just wrapped extensive shooting in Spain, France and Italy. The focus was interviewing five soccer stars for a movie that will be used surrounding the 2010 World Cup. Along the way, I took a few shots of the surrounding landscapes, all on film using my trusty little Nikon N80.
Okay, so I thought there were a lot of do gooders out there who would jump at a chance to help a real live kid in Africa who so obviously needs it. But so far only one cool girl from Mizzou has bothered to step it up. Come on people. This isn’t a joke. This kids needs some help. So tell you what. I’ll pony up 5oo bucks to kick this off but only if five people match it. We need 3K to solve this. Who’s in?
Follow updates on who has the cojones to join me in this by following me on twitter.
On my most recent trip to Zimbabwe I had the privilege of interviewing a dozen or so survivors of violence in the run-up to the contested 2008 elections. These people were eager to tell their stories (all marked by shameless ZANU-PF-inflicted fear, beatings, rapings, or killings) and show their wounds. Let’s not forget that there is another election in Zimbabwe coming up. Watch and see if this stuff starts happening again (two people told me it already is). Is Robert Mugabe for real?
Yesterday I wrapped shooting a project in Zimbabwe and literally as I was putting my cameras away was introduced to this 16-year-old boy, Tawanda. As an orphan, Tawanda was taken in by his uncle, who eventually became unable to afford to care for the boy. Rather than finding an acceptable solution, his uncle doused Tawanda with kerosene and lit him on fire in hopes of killing him and doing away with his dilemma. But Tawanda, 12 at the time, rolled in the sand and survived, only find that he was horrifically burned on his chest and torso. He is in great distress.
His caregivers asked me if there was any way I could help Tawanda. I’m hoping this photograph will do so. After hearing from Dr. John Bergman all the way in Minneapolis, it seems like these growths are Hypertrophic Scars, or also Keloidal Scars that are not treatable other than by surgical removal. Often when removed more growths return. A plastic surgeon is required to treat. If you know of someone who is seriously willing to help (either by financing the trip to a medical facility or know of a doctor in that part of the world that would see him at low or no cost), please comment here or contact me directly and we’ll put them in touch with the caregivers.
I will post more photographs from Zimbabwe (including some extremely compelling ones of victims of Mugaba-inflicted violence) in about a week after I get the film back. For another perspective on the trip, check out Greg Urquhart’s blog (Greg and I traveled together on this project).
July 7-21 I shot video for World Vision in Mozambique, Africa. This assignment was with WV’s 30 Hour Famine for their annual Study Tour, a trip I’ve now done five years in a row. This was a great trip, great kids, and great stories. Below are six images from the collection of stills I took, which you can see in full online. All film, some color, some black and white.
