Friday 25th February 2011
A Child's View: IDP camp, Port au Prince
Over a year on from the devastating earthquake that killed up to an estimated 310,000 people on 12th Jan 2010, GOAL continue to provide life saving treated drinking water and sanitation facilities for the tens of thousands of people still living in temporary shelters. GOAL work with camp committees to establish water delivery to an on-site storage tank, provide a means of emptying pit latrines and provide hygiene messages, handwashing facilities and soap, which combined act as barriers to the transmission of life-threatening disease, namely cholera, which has since it's outbreak in October 2010 has claimed the lives of over 4,000 people.
I went to visit one of the 38 camps where GOAL operate. Set admist the hillside areas in the suburbs of Port au Prince's (PaP), shelters made from plastic sheeting and corregated iron are huddled together, leaving a space for football pitch (below).
The first thing I notice on arrival into the camp are the children playing; one using a plastic bag as a kite, another who has carefully fashioned his own and runs into the open space to catch the wind. One child takes a particular interest as I take photos, so I hand her the camera. Below are the photos she took. It may have been the first time she'd used a SLR, but she very quickly picks up the controls. For me, it was wonderful to see her create these beautiful images that gives us a view from her perspective.
At seeing her fascination in this new toy I wonder what her future has in store.
These children will be responsible for the ongoing rebuilding of Haiti. As they learn and adopt safe hygiene practices they give themselves a better chance of maintaining good health, reducing their risk of catching life-threatening diseases such as cholera.
My work with GOAL, a UNICEF funded programme, will include working in schools in the rural areas outside of PaP. After today's visit to the camp I am excited about exploring the opportunity of gaining insights into children's perspectives of life in Haiti through photography.
A quick Google search gives me the example of how Plan International trained 22 Haitian teenagers in photo skills under the "Through Our Own Eyes" project. The fascinating and touching images can be viewed through an online slideshow at;
International development agencies stress the importance of participation with the people they serve, in order to give the power and decision making to the affected people . I wonder what role giving children the tools to show their point of view can have in helping interventions meet people's priority needs.
