Girls in Uganda

The enclosed writing by Amina Mohamad was forwarded to me by her mother, Dilu who is a long-time acquaintance whom I met at a business organization many years ago. After forced departure from Uganda, Dilu and her family (with two small girls) emigrated to Canada in 1972. Today, Amina is owner and operator of Triple F Photo Tours.

When I first had the thought of getting back into photography'

I knew it had to be much more than just taking photos for pay or for enjoyment.

I knew there had to be a way of giving back ~ using the camera as a tool.

Having worked in film and television...wardrobe assistant...producer manager...and sometimes when I got lucky, on-set photography ~ I eventually walked away from it all after burning out. One of the highlights of my career was a self-financed documentary that I produced, directed and shot in Uganda on the return of the exiled Asians under Amin's rule.

My family and I were one of those exiled Asians and I was only 3 when life changed us forever. I always dreamed, as a child of returning to Uganda one day ~ and when the 30^th anniversary came up, I decided to tell the story. It was at that point in2007, I saw the plight of girls ~ and knew I had to do something to change it for the better. It was definitely not going to be just giving money ~ as unfortunately in many cases, the money never reaches the people who need it most.

Remembering clearly August 2017, I woke up in the middle of the night with inspiration . I shook my husband awake...and exclaimed, “I know what I want to do for the rest of my life ~ I want to go to Uganda and train girls in photography.” He turned around and went back to bed ~ and I started writing out my plan.

Exactly one year later in August 2018, I embarked on my first training ~ it was my friend, Venex, who is a journalist by trade in Uganda, who suggested I train local girls, who were studying to beome journalists...or were journalists, but not getting full-time employment because they did not own a camera...or did not know how to use it to tell their stories. Thus, they were not getting paid or hired.

From my first training we had immediate success. Joanita is a 22-year-old young journalist and during the training, or even at her interview, failed to say she was not getting paid for her work because she did not own a camera. Following the initial training, she went to show her editor the camera ~ and was put on full-time payroll ~ and is now getting published 4 times a week.

In a country where the average monthly income is $50 US,

she is now able to support herself, her mother and siblings.

Joanita and girls like her are the reason I keep working hard to make this a success!

I have just returned from my second trip this past June ~ where I trained 18 girls; 3 girls had their cameras, but didn't know how to move past the auto setting. Over 3 days, we worked from a small space in the slums ~ and they learned all the basics: how to hold the camera...the exposure triangle... composition and more. It was exciting for them...and for me as it fulfilled the philanthropy in me.

Something like this from far away is not feasible without support

from locals on the ground ~ and international sponsors.

Kelby One provides me with free licences each year so the girls can learn editing

and watch photography videos to keep up their training.

Youth Arts Movement Uganda is my partner on the ground in Uganda

and he offers free editing training to the girls on a bi-weekly basis.

As well as attendance at his monthly photography and film training camps,

so they can take their training to the next level.

I further their training with online reviews and bi-weekly assignments

that are delivered through a Whatsapp group.

To successfully run this program, I need to raise $5,000 each year.

I need to pay for the editing space...buy cameras (mostly used)

as I cannot afford 15 new cameras at this time...

and run the training for an entire year.

There are no costs to the girls as they cannot afford it.

The whole idea is to bring them up to a level where they can find employment

with the help of the camera and subsequent training.

Once the girls finish their training, they are expected to mentor the next year's girls, which not only keeps the training going ~ but helps each girl to bring up another girl,financially and otherwise.

Now for the camera I rely on to tell my stories:

I use the Fujifilm X-T3 and my 2 lenses I take to Uganda are the 18-55 kit lens and the 70-200mm lens for safari shots. I love Fuji and what it has done for my personal photography.

When someone signs up for a photo-tour toUganda,

a portion of the cost goes towards training a girl in photography.

Our travellers not only see the beauty of Uganda ..but they get to interact

and help train, or in some cases, improve upon their own photography.

My mission is it to make it life-changing for both traveller and student.

With gracious thanks to Amina for this challenge in her life;

we're all grateful for her goals in bettering lives for girls in Uganda.

Composed by Merle Baird-Kerr...September 16, 2019

Thoughts and comments welcome: mbairdkerr@cogeco.ca