THE KENYA PROJECT
I have been working on a project in Africa. It all started last spring when I was on a shooting in Prague. I took a walk through the center of the city after the shoot. It was full of people as it was when Obama was there. There were a small group of students in the main sq with a projector and screen playing an eye opening and controversial film called EARTHLINGS. Its directed by an amazing man Shaun Monson. The film is about the treatment toward animals in our modern times. I sat on the ground in disbelief of what I was seeing. Tears rolled down my cheeks. After the film I had a long talk with the kids playing the film. I asked how I could help..... the adventure began !
When I was a young man I seemed to be a lot more interested in making a difference in the world and participating in ecological, political and global subjects. Over the next months I realized how sucked in to the system I had become.
I was horrified at my own ignorance and started to wake up again.
There were several goals that I wanted to achieve. I began researching different topics that interested me. Africa was one of them. I had seen a film called "I am because we are" directed by Madonna, I was really moved by it. I wanted to know more about what was happening in Africa. I approached a dear friend in Hamburg Dagmar Vieljans whom works for the HIV & Aids foundation of Germany. We started talking about many of the issues in Africa (in particular Kenya). The Aids epidemic, the drought, Prostitution, women being cut, drug abuse, the salt mines and the list goes on........
In the October of 2009 Dagmar, her son Sidney and I left for to start our African project.
I dont want to get to much into the trip at this stage. I will be going back this year for a month of shooting & working with some of the amazing people I met when I was there last year.
It is a massive undertaking and my goal is to help provide information that is accurate and not only worth knowing
but necessary to know.
We can make a difference, we can be less ignorant and we can help.
References :
http://www.earthlings.com/
http://www.iambecauseweare.com/
