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The Book Project "Children in Africa"
3 March 2006 -
During this marathon journey through Africa, the aim is to produce enough
material to publish a coffee table book (with the working title Children in
Africa). There is yet no definite red thread in which way the children will be
exposed, but the aim is for the readers to understand the diversity of minds,
dreams and goals these kids have. This is also no scientific study of the lives
of children in different parts of the African continent, but merely a
presentation of the countries from the children’s point of view. After five
interviews, I see the difficulties getting them to explain the good and the bad
about their own nation and this is due to several factors.
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First of all, it was decided to choose between the age group
10 - 13, which was thought to be the easiest interview objects and most
favorable ages to work with. They are old enough to have made up their mind
about different aspect of life, not to influenced by the commercial parts of
society and more open and willing to share thoughts. That was the reason for the
choice of age, it is now evident that the kids we meet, and be it city or rural
do not express themselves in a way comparable to kids in a western or developed
country. This means that the interviews will differ from person to person and it
will not be possible to compare the children as in a study.
The children will be asked to talk about their country, their village, their
home and family. How they learn and play and how an average day in their lives
goes about. They are forced to think about how to make the world a better place,
using KIDLINKS questionnaire as a template and also what they like and dislike.
The interview will, apart from some mandatory questions, be conducted in a way
most suitable for the individual child.
The picture part of this project is as important as the text as it is a picture
story telling book. The kids will be asked where they want the picture taken or
it will be done on places with significant link to the story. As we did in
Lesotho, where one of the boys said he wanted to become a pilot. We then went to
the airport and awaited the next plain, arranged with a great security manager
to take a picture beside the plane and talk to captain. The people are so
willing to help when you are doing it for a child, so we got out on to the
parked airplane and got to meet the captain and his co-pilot and the result were
fantastic. This is the way to do it I guess.
We visited Inke-Lee in Cape Agulhas, which is the southernmost point of the
African continent and what else to do than visiting the Lighthouse and the spot
by the ocean where Africa starts (or ends). Everything is the southernmost down
there, so the school, the church, the restaurant… That’s how it should work. You
come up with an idea and the kid and parents agree and you have the perfect
portrait of a kid living somewhere in Africa. A girl up north in Lesotho was
asked why people should visit Lesotho and what she liked about the country. She
just said; because its so beautiful.
Our goal is to present different kids, different minds in different environment,
on the same continent. We believe it will be something unique, something that
you will appreciate and as long as you love children, Africa and photography, it
will surely be special.
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