Through The Camera Lens: A Glimpse Into The Lives Of Africa’s Children . . . .

Submitted by Tanya MacIntyre
GCI Participant
March 25, 2006

"Our main busness is not to look at what lies dimly at a distance
but to do what lies clearly at hand"
Professor William Oster (1871)

The joys, the challenges, the lives of people in a country other than our own is what we are set out to capture. Our mission includes capturing images and gaining stories to teach our children on P.E.I. about Global Awareness. Being the designated videographer and an avid photographer I feel not only compelled, but responsible to share with you some of the images we have witnessed. Some photographs may bring joy to your heart while others may bring great sadness but the truth of it is, this is reality. The photographs will expose a glimpse of what it is like to be a child living in Kenya. Words could never adequately describe what it is like, as language becomes paralysing when trying to describe such images. For some who have had the pleasure to be in this magical place known as Africa, I hope you admire and appreciate the images. For those of you who have never been to Africa, and to those who may never have the opportunity, I hope this gives you insight into what it is like to be a child living in the developing country of Kenya.





In closing, I want to leave you with a poem that the children in standard 4 (grade 4) wrote and recited for us at Ithanji Primary School on March 9th. I am confident that vivid images will come to you through their words so no pictures are necessary to convey their message.

"Let Me Be Me"

I am not you
But you will not
Give me a chance
You will not let me be me.

If I were you
But you know I am not you
Yes, you will not
Let me be me.

You meddle in my affairs
As if you were me
And I were you
Let me be me.

You are unfair, foolish to think
That I can be you
Talk, act, and think like you
Let me be me

God made me be me
He made you be you
For God’s sake
Let me be me.