September 20, 2007

Work is crazy….and the weeks ahead look even busier! But I wanted, at the very least, to upload a few pictures from round one of my photo shoot. Last weekend was phenomenal! Janie picked me up early in the morning on Saturday where we set out for Dedza – which is where Concern Universal is located (or one of its offices anyway). In Malawi, Concern Universal’s work focuses on five key areas: supporting communities in emergency situations (particularly drought-related food shortages), improving people’s ability to grow and buy the food they need to eat, providing credit and other financial services to poor people living in rural areas, supporting people infected and affected by HIV&AIDS and improving living conditions and health through clean water and sanitation provision.

As such, the primary goals of the photo shoot was to highlight personal stories of people living with HIV and AIDS, and to interview them regarding how Concern Universal has helped them, their families, or their communities by providing services, trainings, and/or other empowering activities.

We had many stops that day, including an HIV support group in Dedza; interviewing HIV negative persons who had formed an HIV Post-test club (where they encourage peers to get tested and to know their HIV status); traveling to another HIV support group in Ntcheu (they primarily focus on influencing opinions and lobbying for accepting attitudes towards People Living With HIV and AIDS); and finally, to a small village in Masasa where we interviewed a woman who had been sick for years, but after testing positive for HIV, she started ARV treatment. She’s now feeling healthy, has custody of her children, and is trying hard to lead a normal life.

I look forward to reading Janie’s final narratives. The interviews were conducted in Chichewa – and were translated into English. The stories and the photographs will appear in Concern Universal’s brochure – which is what they predominantly use for fund raising efforts.

By in large, the experience was incredible. And the process will start again this weekend! Am off to Blantyre, Mulanje, Phalombe, and Thyolo…

On another note, Andy will be here in two weeks! Unfortunately, we ran into some serious snags with the dogs, so they will have to join us at a later time. Regardless, my life will get back to ‘normal’, whatever that may be, after October 5th.

Much love to all,
Amy