Foto’s Blog: “Not enough money for photographs”
Phodographer Maia Pelleg in Ghana April 2010
Maia Pelleg enthusiastically embraced Dog Meets World while volunteering as a Kiva Fellow before starting law school. Maia expressed reverence and respect for all the women she worked with. She wrote about Vela (above) who does not own a photograph of her children. Through Dog Meets World, Maia provided her first photos. Vela says,
I am a business lady,” and is proud that she has been accessing micro-loans to improve her revenue. Vela told Maia that half of her profits are reinvested in her business and the other half go to pay for food and school fees for her children. There is not enough money to pay for photographers.
Meet Rukyiah, she runs a general provisions shop two-hours from Tarkwa, Ghana. She sells items such as minerals, grains and flour to members of her community. Rukyiah credits a series of micro-loans with enabling her to truly provide for her four children.
“I’m good at business and I’m very hard-working,” she says, “Thank you for this photo. My children will be proud.”
Foto’s Blog: Clowning around in Vietnam
NEW Phodographer Monica Keyes in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Sept. 2010
Monica volunteering with Humanitarian Travels says “I work in the field of international education and this was my first DMW experience. One of my favorite “foto”graphs was this one of Phuong, who lived in the orphanage known as The Children of the Dragon. Phuong was the first child who greeted me upon arriving at the home – He stepped right in and began helping us carry and organize supplies we had brought and then he took on the role of being my right-hand-photo-printing man, directing the other children where to go and handing out their photos once they were printed. I left him with this picture of his own as well as my red clown nose to help continue to spread cheer among the other children. Though what he left me with – the inspiration from encountering such a strong, resilient boy who has nothing but a spirit of benevolence and leadership – was far more valuable.”
Foto’s Blog: Photo Sharing in San Pedro, Belize
Phodographer Austin Lane on Ambergris Caye, Belize, September 2010
What a great time watching the printer and sharing with moments with the kids! Note how the student is trying to show off the heart and peace sign on Foto’s paws!
Co-founders Carolyn and Austin Lane (shown) visited Holy Cross School on the north island San Mateo area of Ambergris Caye in Belize. Missionaries Francis and Vernon Wilson described the incredible growth of the volunteer built and equipped island school now serving over 500 students in just 4 years.
Francis emailed….Thank you so very much for sharing your time, talents and treasure (smile!) at Holy Cross. I happened to be near as the little ones were going home that day. They were soooooo excited showing off their photos to mom/dad/grannie/whoever!! Everyone loved the work you did!
Daily Foto: “Foto” a Diplomat in China with National Geographic Photographer
NEW Phodographer Lou Mazzatenta at Huang Guo Shu Waterfalls in China, Sept. 2010
Lou Mazzatenta is a former photographer and editor for National Geographic . He was an invited guest in China to judge a photo contest. He met this child while touring the “Niagara Falls” of China. While this son of local tourists undoubtedly has photos, having one taken by a foreigner was special and Lou noted that he “still enjoyed playing with Foto for a few moments. Foto, the dog, helped build a little bridge between east and west.”
In general Lou says “Dog Meets World is a wonderful way for travelers of all sort to be engaged with people in the countries they are visiting. In my extensive travels as a photographer and writer for National Geographic magazine, I have witnessed numerous crowds of tourists being herded about by travel agents. The agent spouts canned descriptions of sites being visited. There is little real interaction with locals. The Dog Meets World program is the perfect fix. There is no better or easier way to make immediate friends in a country than by taking their picture and giving it to them.”
Daily Foto: One Gorgeous Little Girl in Guatemala
Phodographer Patti Hughes along Lake Atitlan in Guatemala, March 2009
Photographs are truly priceless. They capture and record our lives.
DMW believes that each single shared photograph creates a cultural connection and an indelible affirmation that is left behind as a personal artifact and a tiny seed of peace.