Category: Poverty

  • Beasts of Burden

    Beasts of Burden

    A trip to the Kathmandu Valley to photograph the human and animal workforce in brick kilns. Mules are bred in India and purchased there to work in Nepal’s brick kilns. If they survive in reasonable condition they can be sold on as mountain pack animals at the end of the season. The mule owners bring with…

  • “To know hunger, work illegally, and be anonymous.” (Attributed to V I Lenin)

    “To know hunger, work illegally, and be anonymous.” (Attributed to V I Lenin)

    With thanks to all the photographers of the Displaces project On previous ‘participatory photography’ projects, we’d give people good compact cameras, and some practical and conceptual training. Then they’d return to their families, communities or neighbourhoods, and take pictures. The results could be revelatory; expressive as well as documentary, giving insights into lives and identities which…

  • Through Positive Eyes Durban 4

    Through Positive Eyes Durban 4

    Yvonne Yvonne’s family live without piped water or sanitation but they own three Smartphones, one tablet, a laptop and a TV. Far from being luxuries these devices are likely to be their way out of poverty. Her two oldest daughters are very clever and technologically able. Yvonne works at the Gugu Dlemini AIDS Foundation. She…

  • Through Positive Eyes – Durban

    Through Positive Eyes – Durban

    Photo by Silungile I’m just back from working on the final chapter of this international arts and advocacy project, in which HIV+ve participants photograph their lives to combat stigma. I teach photography, and co-edit the work with the participants, alongside Gideon Mendel and Prof. David Gere’s team from the Art and Global Health Centre at…

  • Displaces. A photo-project in the Calais ‘Jungle’.

    Displaces. A photo-project in the Calais ‘Jungle’.

    This mysterious photograph of the Calais ‘Jungle’ is the work of 18 year-old Esyas (his name has been changed), an artist from Eritrea. He is taking part in the Displaces photo project set up by Prof. Corinne Squire. I’ve been working alongside Gideon Mendel, teaching photography and editing the results of a two day workshop.…

  • Work, Climate and Donkeys

    Work, Climate and Donkeys

    For donkeys as well as people, the brick kilns in India are dangerous and unhealthy places to work – but unemployment is worse.   At the RAJ kiln near Agra, accommodation for donkeys and their owners lies empty. Unseasonal rains have waterlogged the brick kilns and there’s no work for them here. Back in the…

  • Home Lives of the Donkey People

    Home Lives of the Donkey People

    Donkey owners – problem or solution? Itinerant donkey owners working in Gujarat’s brick kilns spend 24 hours a day with their donkeys. They live, work, play and abide together. The donkeys’ welfare is entirely in the people’s hands. So who are they, and how do they live alongside their animals? I hope these photographs from…

  • Grazing

    Grazing

    In the UK the word ‘grazing’ brings to mind lush green fields. In Madhupur village near Agra we followed donkey owner Daudayal as he took his family’s donkeys to the only grazing available to them. The land doubles as a latrine for the entire village, which lacks basic sanitation. Seeing donkeys eating human excrement turned…

  • Smartphones

    Smartphones

    Itinerant brick kiln workers use WhatsApp to stay in touch. Donkey owner-drivers working in the brick kilns of Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh are paid every Friday, but receive a lump sum payment at the end of the brick-making season. This allows them to buy Indian-made smartphones costing about 5,000 Rupees each. Most donkey owners are…

  • Donkey Cam

    Donkey Cam

    Donkeys have a blind spot immediately in front of them, but can see right round to their hind legs – though not behind their head. Simply mounting a wide angle camera on a donkey’s head won’t tell us how a donkey really ‘sees’ the world. But it can tell us something about its working life.…

  • Arjun, brick kiln boy

    Arjun, brick kiln boy

    This is Arjun, he is a 12 year old boy working as a donkey driver in the MA Ambabpur brick kiln near Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India. This story will tell you about how he spends his day. This is Arjun’s family. There are five donkey owning families living beside the kiln works. They all live…

  • Animal traction

    Animal traction

    In the UK animal traction and haulage are things of the past – relegated to the heritage industry. In India draft animals play a key role in the modern economy. Aside from their use in agriculture, donkeys and mules are essential to the construction industry. The livelihoods of many thousands of marginalised families are reliant…