Changing The World – One Child At A Time

That Thursday afternoon in November I was face to face with 16 excited but shy Cambodian girls and boys between the ages of 6 and 15. I was there to photograph them so that they might receive sponsorship for English lessons and keep them in public school . The photographs I took of them could make the difference between the continuation of a life of poverty or the hope of becoming empowered and a chance at a brighter future.

We were just outside of Siem Reap, Cambodia, the gateway to famed Angkor Wat that attracts millions of visitors every year. We had arrived in Sopheap’s tuk-tuk and were on a country road, lined with one or two room huts on stilts with bamboo stick floors and dried rice grass roofs. In the distance the land was flat. The green of the rice fields was occasionally broken by the pink dots of lotus flowers growing wild in water ponds from recent monsoon floods. The ground beneath the houses was partially muddy still and littered with plastic bags and garbage. A dug trench along the edge of the rice field caught the overflow of rain water and was also the source for washing, cooking and drinking water.

So how do you photograph and share the stories of children who live in dire poverty? Children who do not go to school because there is sometimes not enough food, whose parents earn less than one dollar a day? Children who live without running water, without toilets and without most of the things we do not think about because we cannot even conceive of not having them and that we take for granted.

Do I create a beautiful portrait of each child showing the joy I saw on their faces – and in the process perhaps lessen their chances for sponsorship because I’ve created the impression that they are not so bad off? Or do I intentionally create an image of desperate poverty and attempt to manipulate the viewer into a sponsorship because they feel so guilty for the privileged lives they live in comparison? I felt a huge responsibility to both the children and the potential sponsors, but it was a question I had to answer.

In my photography business back home in California I always felt it was my job to call forth and capture my subject’s best self. I knew that a photograph captures a moment in time and just as important creates an impression and a permanent memory for both the subject and the viewer. Over the years I have learned that no matter your background or your circumstances, rich or poor, everyone wants to look good in a picture – in other words be their best self, even if just for a moment. But a moment that can be recalled again and again and remind them too of their best selves.

Since the start of my travels in August I have been telling anyone who would listen of my desire to find and document positive stories of empowerment, of my desire to realize a dream – the dream of making a meaningful contribution to those less fortunate in my world community through my photography and writing. Yes, a lofty goal indeed, but I did not want to limit myself from the outset. I was sure circumstances and life would do that without my help. I really made use of the wonders of Facebook, Twitter and social networking to spread the word and connect with as many people as possible. I am thrilled to report that it has had an amazing snowball effect.

That is how I met Sopheap, a young Cambodian man from a poor family on the outskirts of Siem Reap. His father was a fisherman and so that is what he learned to do as a child. Then he met a man who agreed to teach him English for three years. He used his knowledge to do something different than his father: he got a small loan and started a tuk-tuk business driving tourists to Angkor Wat and around Siem Reap. In his spare time he began helping the other poor children from his village.

Although there are many orphanages in and around Siem Reap he wanted to focus on poor families. These families and their children are most at risk for becoming victims of human trafficking and labor exploitation. Sometimes the parents may be so destitute they do not want their children to starve and believe the stories they are told: their young daughter or son will be given a job as a house servant – with food and board. They believe they are giving their child essentially the chance at survival and a better life. They might even be offered a few hundred dollars and so it happens. Sopheap wanted to give hope to these families by helping the children stay in school and provide them with the opportunity to learn English – like he had.

Enter Tara, a young Australian woman who came to Siem Reap on a holiday and met Sopheap. Although they are from very different backgrounds and an unlikely pair on the outside, they shared the same passion to help and quickly fell in love. Now, via KidsCare Australia,Tara helps to find sponsors and Sopheap takes care of all the logistical and physical details in Siem Reap. He continues to live in his poor family home and stays in close contact with the children. Together they have begun to change the lives of 20 children and given them and their parents hope for a better future.

And now there were sixteen more children whose lives they wanted to change. It was 1:30pm in the afternoon and the tropical sun was harsh and unrelenting. I was scanning around to find a shady spot to work. I had made my decision. All my instincts and intuition were telling me to create beautiful portraits of these children, to give them a permanent memory of their better selves.

I wanted each child to recognize their own beauty and I wanted to bolster their self-confidence with an image they liked of themselves. Thankfully the wonders of digital make that possible. I allowed each child to determine if I had taken a photo they approved of before moving on to the next one.

So just in case you look at these portraits and say: “Oh they don’t look unhappy. How bad off can they really be?” please take a moment to imagine how they will look in 10 or 15 years – without the benefit of an education or after having been sold into the sex trade or into a sweat shop. Along with these portraits you can also take a look at how they live. My supplementary album is shot in a photo documentary style that is not so romantic – just in case you have any doubts.

So you want to sponsor one of Sopheap’s 16 kids? Here are links to my photo album of the kids and a link to Tara’s KidsCare Australia where you can complete the sponsorship as well as more details:

Each child requires a starter kit without which the child cannot start taking English lessons. The school is 5 km (3.1 miles) away and the only way for these kids to reach it is on foot or via bicycle. Your $65 buys your child this:
a bicycle (or if a sibling already has one, extra clothes and/or food as needed)
school uniform,
shoes,
a backpack,
books,
pens, pencils, ruler, sharpener and a pencil case

The regular monthly sponsorship is $15 and covers the following:
$8 for English classes (5 days a week, 2 (?) hours each day)
$2 goes to a health fund for all health care needs
$5 goes into an expense account so that you will not be asked for supplementary donations every year. It will buy things as needed, such as new books and pencils, a new school uniform and shoes when outgrown, bike repair and maintenance and if the child needs it extra food.

As you can see 100% of your donation goes directly towards the child. All travel expenses and administrative costs, such as Paypal fees are absorbed by Tara personally. Sopheap pays for any expenses he incurs, such as gasoline, from the money he earns as a tuk-tuk driver.

Please remember that education is a long-term endeavor. Consider carefully your ability to maintain a long-term sponsorship before deciding. Nothing will be more disappointing to the child than receiving a sponsor who bails out six months or even two years later, before they have completed their education. One-time donations are always possible and will be used to cover extras such as clothes, food, fixing or replacing a bicycle etc. At present there is also a vocational training project for young adults that you can support and more will be added as funds become available. If you want to stay in touch with your sponsored child you can do so via Facebook and friend both Sopheap and Tara.

So are you ready to change the world for the better? You can! One child at a time.

Beach Bungalow Fantasy

I know you’ve had it. We’ve all had it at one time or another. You know? This dream of living on a beautiful beach somewhere! Somewhere where it is summer all year round. Somewhere where formal means putting on your sandals, taking off your swim wear or sarong and switching to clean shorts or a pretty sun dress.

I imagined this fantasy life on the beach – with the only distraction being nature itself – so I could get on with the serious business of writing my book. I figured on two months to start with. It sounded so idyllic and I couldn’t imagine anything wrong with the picture I made in my head.

Of course I did have a few prerequisites. Before you even think: ‘ Uh oh, here it comes’, let me just say that I didn’t believe them to be insurmountable or even unreasonable for that matter.

First on my list was that my bungalow had to have electricity. No big deal, right? How else would I power my laptop that I’d write my book on? Second was that I needed (okay – wanted) Internet access from my bungalow, which meant reliable wifi. And thirdly, it had to be affordable – on my budget that is. A little bit more on my budget later, but let me just say that I was aiming for one of the poorest countries in southeast Asia, so I didn’t think that was a hindrance either. I figured if I could find some place that met those three conditions I could deal with whatever else may come up.

I had identified this place on the map that I thought would work. As I traveled around I would talk to travelers and ask if they had been to this place. I didn’t meet anyone that had, until a chance conversation with an Icelandic divemaster. He said he had been to this area, but preferred the smaller town two hours to the west. Sounded good, especially because he mentioned I could probably find something for $4 a night. This is getting sweeter all the time, I thought. It wasn’t directly on the coast, but I could reach the coast in less than 30 minutes.

As I got closer geographically I heard about an even smaller town that was directly on the coast. Perfect, I thought.

So I booked a place, sight unseen, for 10 days. The owner confirmed via email that he had both electricity (barring the blackouts that happen as a matter of course here) and that yes, wifi was available in the bungalow. He offered me a reduced rate of $7 (instead of $8). I accepted, even tho it was more than my idyllic $4 because it was after all directly on the coast.

This is what I found:
My bungalow was one of five set in a nicely landscaped mini tropical garden which, although the bungalows were close together, gave a heightened sense of privacy. It had cement walls, a tiled floor, ensuite bathroom and a small porch with a strung hammock out front. So far, so good, right?

The bungalow had two VERY small windows and only one dim fluorescent bulb. Together with my weakening eyesight I could barely see anything, even during the day. In fact, because of the lack of light I felt rather claustrophobic.

Okay, so maybe NOW is a good time to say ‘Uh oh!’

Yes, the bungalow had a banana leaf thatched roof. After just one day my laptop (and sheets and everything else) was covered in crumbling roof debris.

Second ‘o oh!’

Yes, bugs, ants and tiny insects were everywhere, but I had already become accustomed to them, as they were present in one form or another in every accomodation I had to date – regardless of the cost. In fact, the most expensive place I had was a room valued at $26 which I got for $18 because they were somewhat desperate for more business. That room, although the loveliest I’ve had so far in terms of decor, space, furniture and bathroom, turned out to have a boatload of fleas! I kept wondering every day where these new bite marks all over my body were coming from until I discovered them on my last day there. Needless to say I murdered every last one of them and didn’t feel the least bit guilty. So no, I was not too bothered about the insects as long as I didn’t get bitten!

However, I feel like I have to keep the windows closed because there are no screens on them and I don’t want more uninvited guests.

I took my first shower and discovered that it was cold water only. Okay. I guess I could live with that since the average temperature was around 86 F(29C) and even at night it was a balmy 76 degrees (25C). This was the perennial summer I had wished for, so a bit of cold water would be great.

There was no table in my room, so I asked if they could put one in. How else was I going to get any serious work done if I didn’t have an “office”? They did.

I went online for the first time and discovered molasses. I was told later by the owner that it was 256K speed! Could I live with that? Less distractions, I told myself.

On my first full day I ventured into town (the guesthouse is about 3 km out of town). I should have known better by now, but still I got caught in not just one, but two monsoon downpours that I was not prepared for. (Yes, I’d forgotten to pack my rain cover and coat when I set off under blue skies and a hot sun.) I also got caught out after dark waiting for the rain to abate somewhat. By the time I made it back to the guesthouse on the rickety bike I had I was completely drenched: clothes of course, sandals, backpack – everything.

The next morning I discovered that nothing will dry inside the bungalow. Not only that, but everything else started to take on a moist feel and smell. I did not sleep on the pillows because they looked like they had mildew spots.

I trust you are inserting the “o oh’s” where appropriate.

My lovely hammock and the entire porch was wet because the bungalow roof leaked! I already knew the cotton hammock wouldn’t dry unless it was either spread out carefully or hung in the sun. The roof covering the inside of the bungalow thankfully did not leak water, at least not yet!

So in summary, no single thing demolished my beach bungalow fantasy, but I will say that the quickest way to rid yourself of the beach bungalow fantasy is to go live in one. Even thou a few months of traveling in developing countries has dramatically changed what I may have thought I couldn’t live without, i.e. a hot shower, a bug-free room, clean clothes, my daily glass or two of wine, I found I can do without some things for a short time and without others even permanently (to my delight giving up wine was easy). However, i am learning that I am truly a creature that craves light and space and no matter how cheap that beach bungalow or how quaint it may appear from the outside, if it feels like a dark, wet cave on the inside I don’t want to live in it!

But then again, there was the light and space I found at the beach. What’s a photographer to do? Walk away? Hardly!

Things I’ve noticed in Vietnam

People get up VERY early to exercise. We are talking crowds of people at the beach at 6am! How did I find out? Not bc I got up to do sunrise photography. Oh no, haven’t done that yet! I found out bc my overnight bus pulled into Nha Trang at 5:30am. We passed a beach around 5:50am and that’s when I saw the crowds. Vietnamese people are very industrious. They get up at the crack of dawn to exercise or have family social time BEFORE they go to work! Then they do it again in the evening, after dark, when it’s cooler. Very admirable.

Vietnamese women will do everything possible to keep their skin white. Brown (tanned) skin is definitely not a beauty symbol. Just the opposite. So they will cover up as much as possible when they have to go outside, regardless of the temperature. You will even find skin whitening products on the supermarket shelves, next to hair color and shampoo.

Vietnamese women love fashionable shoes. High-heeled, bejeweled, colors galore. They will wear them whenever possible, even if it appears impractical.

About half of all scooter riders wear face masks. I think more bc of pollution than sun exposure.

Umbrellas are a daily fixture. They protect from the rain and the sun. The first time I saw the passenger holding an umbrella over the driver in the rain, right after I landed in Thailand, I laughed out loud. Now it is nothing special – it is the norm.

4 people on a scooter is also the norm. 2-3 people on a bike is also the norm. The person in the back will often share the pedals with the rider. In fact bikes are manufactured here with nice long cushions on the back rack. Most bicycles are of the Dutch variety: big wheels, one speed, broad handlebars, basket in front, brake by back pedalling.

Vietnamese are very touchy-feely with each other. Not just little girls, or mom and daughter, but all family members and friends. I noticed a lot of boys and young men frequently touching each other in what I considered an intimate way: Prolonged touching on the shoulder. Touching when looking for reassurance; even arms around the waist. At first I thought I recognized gay behavior (having lived in San Francisco so long, I thought I knew it all), but after meeting two male students in Hanoi and spending several hours in conversation with them I realized I had made a false assumption. Turns out that touching like this is normal for women AND men and is not just the norm, but I think encouraged. Just think of the consequences! If a boy is brought up being encouraged to express his more intimate and positive emotions of love, like, friendship and caring, or even insecurity and fear and can still be a man. Wow what a world that must be. How different would the western world be if boys were brought up to express these emotions without being laughed at or any type of negative backlash?

When you order Vietnamese coffee they will ask you ‘ice or hot’. If you say hot, like most westerners do, you get a glass with a generous amount of very sweet condensed milk in the glass. It is topped by an aluminum coffee drip (small – it fits perfectly over the glass). After about 2-4 minutes it starts dripping. By the time it’s done the ratio of milk to coffee is about 1:3, so not really a lot of coffee (and also not really hot any more.) At the same time they also bring you a glass of tea. If you ordered ice coffee, like most do, your tea is also iced, otherwise it’s hot. Why I don’t really know, but it appears to be like the ubiquitous glass of water in the US. They also refill your glass like we do with water.

I never see women out alone, Vietnamese women that is. Even in a cafe, which they seem to love here. Local women are either with a man or in a larger group of women only, if they are out in a public restaurant.

Smokers. Lots of ‘em. Too many IMHO. Way too many. Though I must say I have not seen any commercials or advertising for cigarettes.

An odd inclination to cut trees and bushes into a variety of shapes. Here in Nha Trang, there are perfect conical, round, square and cylindrical trees and bushes. Yes they are part of the public landscaping, but still.

Tracking my travels thru SE Asia

I finally decided to forget about wanting to make things perfect before I started blogging. So I will blog about current stuff and slowly work my way back. I arrived in Thailand on August 10th and sat around in Chiang Mai for most of the following four weeks trying to get over a severe case of disorientation and initial feelings of isolation.

On September 8th when my Thai visa ran out I crossed the border into Laos.

Today, Monday I am in sitting in a cafe in Luang Prabang a UNESCO World Heritage site and I am coming to terms with the loss of one of my digital cameras (I still have my D200) and my main lens. The heat has been unrelenting, even at night, and coming from foggy and temperate San Francisco I am not dealing well. I now have a sinus infection probably also due to being in front of a fan constantly in an attempt to keep cool.

I am trying to remember that everything happens for a reason and that there are still many things I should be grateful for. The poverty I’ve seen is manifold, but perhaps what is worse is the utter lack of opportunity and possibility for so many of these people.

I may have had my camera stolen, but so many of these people have had a life full of possibility stolen from them the moment they were born. So to have this life of many possibilities for that I am grateful right now.

Laos – the most bombed country in the world

We arrived in Phonsavan just in time to witness the parade given for some high ranking Vietnamese official visiting Laos on the 40th anniversary of the Vietnam war.

Laos suffered terribly – and still does – during the Vietnam war, as it was the staging ground for the secret war waged by the Americans. During the Vietnam war more bombs were dropped on Laos then on Germany and Japan combined! Many of these bombs were cluster bombs, specifically designed to maim and/or kill people. Laos was not part of the Vietnam war and yet hundreds of thousands of bombs were dropped here, killing only innocent civilians.

Today, Laos still has thousands of UXO (unexploded ordinance), also referred to as “bombies” by the locals, scattered throughout the countryside which claim victims almost daily. MAG http://www.maginternational.org/ has been working with local Laotians who are being trained to unearth and safely detonate these “bombies”. It is estimated that it will still take many, many years before Laos is free of all the UXO dropped by the Americans during the Vietnam war. Please visit the MAG website for more information or to donate.

Italian Street Painting Festival

This is definitely one of the best street festivals around. I happened to be in San Rafael the Friday before it started and had the opportunity to chat with one of the artists. I asked Ann, an artist from Santa Barbara, how she felt about the short-lived lifespan of her work. “It’s the nature of the medium,” she said. “You get used to it after a while.” Upon hearing that, I was so glad I had chosen to become a photographer. I don’t know if I could ever get used to toiling away for days, only to have my art simply washed away. I also found out from Ann that the only way to participate in this festival is to be invited. There were artists here from all over the country. I must say that the organizers chose very well. There was not a bad painting to be found. This festival is also a fundraiser for Youth in Arts and gifted high school students are invited to participate. If you would like to see all the images from this festival click here.

Welcome!

Welcome! Herzlich willkommen! Bienvenido!  

My name is Christine Krieg and I am a photographer living in beautiful, beautiful San Francisco. My desire to travel and explore the world and capture the beauty of it all along the way led me to photography.  Beauty is often fleeting and fragile. We all want to hold onto it.  Photography allows me to capture that fragility and moment in time. 

What I love almost more than freezing a moment in time is the ability to suffuse my images with emotion. Isn't that what memories are about? Remembering how you felt at a certain moment in time? I feel privileged to create those visual memories for all the people who entrust me with the ordinary and extraordinary moments of their lives.  

On this blog you will find stories and images that I have recently captured as well as some that date back to specific travels in the past. You will also find useful information that you can apply in your own photography as well as news and links to interesting sites I find online.

For more information on photo sessions, please visit my website at www.cksworld.com or feel free to email me. Thanks!