Our Mission
100cameras identifies children living in unjust conditions and gives them cameras to document their lives. Their photo narratives are used to raise awareness and capital to meet physical needs and empower sustainable growth within their community.
How we do it
Photographery class in CubaThrough photography, 100cameras provides children with a creative platform to share their lives from their own perspective.
100cameras begins by identifying underserved communities locally and abroad that are home to orphans, at-risk children, children without rights and children who lack access to basic healthcare or education. After identifying these communities, 100cameras partners with organizations that are already providing sustainable solutions within their targeted area.
The 100cameras staff then takes donated cameras to the project location in order to implement a photography course among the children. The curriculum provides each child with a camera and includes a series of introductory lessons about basic camera fundamentals with a specific emphasis on documentation. Both the course and the resources give children the opportunity to express the realities of their every day through images. This partnership is empowering to both the children and communities involved.
100cameras teaches a child how to capture and tell their story. This encourages a better self view, resulting in higher levels of confidence and ownership in their identity. Through their own photography, the children become self-advocators. Their pictures are the voices that speak awareness.
100cameras is committed to share their perspective with a global community. Upon completion of a project, 100cameras has the unique position to carry these photographs across borders to bridge communities together. Specifically, this is accomplished through online print sales, web campaigns and a series of photo exhibition events. When someone purchases one of the children's photos, 100percent of that money is given back to the partner organization in that child's community.
100cameras has completed three projects thus far (South Sudan, NYC & Cuba) and plans to launch a fourth one in first half of 2012.
On location in Sudan, Africa
Why We Do It
100cameras believes that children should be both heard and defended.
We believe that children have the right to live free from oppression, violence and poverty. However, this is not the reality in many communities worldwide. According to UNICEF, 1 billion children live in poverty (1 in 2 children in the world), 640 million live without adequate shelter, 400 million have no access to safe water, 270 million have no access to health services, and 25,000 die each day due to poverty.
Even though this global problem will not be solved overnight or even in our lifetime, 100cameras is committed to reducing the oppression, decreasing the violence and breaking the cycles of poverty in the communities to which we are committed.
Furthermore, 100cameras intends to increase independence and reduce the aid-dependent culture that is currently perpetuated by many non-profits around the world. We do this by partnering with local organizations that already have a successful track record and a committed plan to support sustainable change within their communities.
While there are many organizations today fending for the rights of children around the world, the scale of injustice makes it impossible for any one organization to successfully advocate for every child. We believe that as long as injustice continues, there is opportunity for individuals and organizations like ours to make a difference.