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.”

On this Thanksgiving week, DMW honors all phoDOGraphers who have taken their time to see and recognize so many children around the world. In 37 countries, this humble program continues to spread diplomacy worldwide and be a bridge of peace from Niger to Panama, Ghana to India, and now from Jamaica to Tibet. Starting with a single “click” – truly the power of one photograph transcends much and can bring real affirmation and a smile. Foto the dog is a symbol of peace and love and helps fetch all the photos.

Amir Pelleg was working as a volunteer consultant in remote cocoa farming communities. He said Dog Meets World was such “an exciting and rewarding experience.” These are kids from that community, thrilled to have their first photograph. Thanks Amir and all phoDOGraphers for bringing the Dog Meets World citizen photo diplomacy project to over 5000 kids and families.

Maia Pelleg, now a first year law student at Duke University, enthusiastically embraced Dog Meets World while volunteering as a Kiva Fellow in Ghana last spring. This picture is of Elizabeth a leader of her community microfinance group. She operates a small market kiosk from which she sells paint. Elizabeth is 65-years-old and continues to provide for her family, including her grandchildren’s school fees. She was thrilled to have this picture. Dog Meets World honors all the workers of the world.

Posing with pride with her Dog Meet World photo. Hawa is 43-years old and has recently taken out a loan from a microfinance institution in Ghana to expand her business. She sells millet porridge to miners and school-children in her community. Hawa says, “I’m industrious and hard-working. I have four children. I want to be healthy for life. Thank you for giving me a picture of myself that I can give to my children. They will be proud.” DMW thanks Maia for giving her this opportunity to have her picture!

Maia Pelleg enthusiastically embraced Dog Meets World while volunteering as a Kiva Fellow in Ghana. Her reverence and respect for all she met were evident in her descriptions. She wrote about this woman saying “Yaa, meaning Thursday-born, has never before had a photograph taken by herself. She laughs throughout the whole process, looking at the members of her microfinance borrower group for support. They laugh too, and when the photo is printed it is passed around to over 30 women to admire. Some even clap in honor of Yaa.”

Sharing our joy with friends is special and a one’s first photograph, is like tangible joy. Dog Meet World leaves permanent affirmations and plants seeds of peace.

Amir Pelleg is working as a volunteer consultant Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region in Ghana. He reported “I had my first experience with DMW last week in the cocoa communities that I’m working with. It was such an exciting and rewarding experience.” He promises more pictures and stories from Ghana. Thanks Amir for bringing the Dog Meets World photo project to these families in Ghana.