NEW YORK (April 2, 2008) - Through the lenses of disposable cameras donated by supporters of Concern Worldwide, boys and girls in rural Eal Keshan, Afghanistan are sharing a view of their world with men and women they will never meet. While many of the children never have seen a camera before in their lives, they have photographed their "schools" - outdoor tents lacking insulation or plumbing - for an event in Chicago supporting school projects in Afghanistan.
Intrigued by how the cameras could illuminate a room with their flash, the students who don't have access to running water, much less Internet, called their project "Roshan Makunad," meaning "make light."
The project was initiated by the combined efforts of Concern staff in New York, Chicago and Afghanistan. Luke Stephens of Van, Texas, currently working as Country Director for Concern Worldwide in Afghanistan, joined with the boys and girls of Eal Keshan to document the school conditions and teach the children about their "light makers."
The cameras soon were sent back to Chicago, where the photos were developed, displayed and sold as part of a fundraiser for school projects in Eal Keshan and other rural towns of Afghanistan. Copies of the photos also were sent back to Mr. Stephens, who showed the pupils the results of their creative efforts.
Now, the camera project has begun to "make light" in more metaphorical ways. The funds raised by Concern in Chicago have enabled the Eal Keshan community of parents and children to join together and, with the support of Concern, begin building a new school for 800 boys and girls.
The school construction projects have mobilized the community to improve the infrastructure for their children's education, says Mr. Stephens, 34. The light provided by new educational prospects, supported by Concern Worldwide, may be the brightest of all.
See the Eal Keshan student slideshow online at www.concernusa.org/afghanistanphotos
[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]
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