Taveta against AIDS

My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

Kenya | Friday, October 7, 2011 | 5 photos

In spring 2011 I got the opportunity to work with the Mbuyuni Women Group in Taveta (Kenya). One day I acted as a representative for the Women Group at a road show against AIDS which took place in Taveta. It was a loud, cheerful and effective commitment for a healthier future and could not have been more different from anything that passes as "proper" health education in Europe.

I do not want to speak for anybody with my photographs; I wish to see people speaking for themselves through my photography. With my work I want to appreciate the differences between cultures, people and sceneries as well as the similarities. Photography can teach us that differences themselves are doing no harm. It broadens our mind and gives us insight in cultures and customs which otherwise would seem alien to us.

For me, photography is a language. In Germany, we have a saying “One picture tells more than a thousand words” – even as a studied linguist I believe this is true. Good photography can tell stories of places unseen, of people unheard and of facts undesired. These stories should not have to achieve retouched perfection; they have to be authentic, especially in the times of professional image editing.

I wish to become a storyteller who encourages people to explore the aesthetics of foreign places. It is my wish to inspire people to take responsibility for their environment and the people around them, near and far. I am driven by curiosity and the urgent wish to learn and improve. Being mentored by Mr. Jason Edward is a chance of a lifetime and I would be grateful to get this opportunity to prove myself. I am eager to learn. I want to tell a story.