PhotoVoice’s mission is to provide marginalised groups with the skills, equipment and platform they need to use photography to bring about positive social change. Through photography, people who are ignored, impoverished or prejudiced against in their societies gain a chance to speak out about their situation and be heard by those who can make a real difference.
Since the organisation was founded over 10 years ago by Anna Blackman and Tiffany Fairey when they both finished studying at Edinburgh University, more than 500 participants have been trained through PhotoVoice projects.
In May 2010, PhotoVoice facilitator and photojournalist Jenny Matthews delivered a course of photo-advocacy workshops in Kabul aimed at helping young people to have their say about what can be done to change their lives, and those of other young people in Afghanistan, for the better.
The participants – all boys and girls under 16 – were trained to take photographs and write testimonies to share their view of what life in Afghanistan is really like for children living there. The workshops taught them valuable digital media skills as well as how to speak out about issues important to them.
A public exhibition of the work is taking place in Kabul aimed at bringing the voices of the young people to the community and encouraging public debate about the state of child rights in Afghanistan. The photos will also be used by the Afghan partner rganization, Media Support Partnership Afghanistan, and PhotoVoice for international online dissemination to campaign for the rights of the child and to highlight the situation in Afghanistan.
