Uganda Favorites

In Jan '13 I spent two weeks in northern Uganda serving with the organization Childvoice International. This organization's purpose is to help the girls and their children who have been affected directly or indirectly by the child abduction tactics of Joseph Koney's Lord's Resistance Army. Childvoice takes these girls through an 18 month residential program that provides psychosocial therapy and education both academic and vocational. Their goal is to help them integrate back into their villages and provide for themselves. The program was suspended in early '12 when the local government asked for the buildings back that Childvoice was using. Land had to be procured and funds raised to build a new campus across the road. I got to witness the opening of this new campus and the return of the girls whose program was suspended midway through. Along side the emotional and physical scars these girls have suffered I also witnessed love for each other, hope for the future and an amazing ability to forgive and move on. This was my first assignment of telling a story photographically of people who have been through such tragedy. Landscape photography has always been my love, but this experience has peaked my interest in expressing feeling through the faces and interactions of people. It has opened up a whole new exciting photographic adventure for me.

Childvoice's partially finished new campus
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This lady is the cook's assistant and loves to see the girls return to campus.
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The children are loved by all.
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Sibling giving little sister a bath.
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Excited to see each other again.
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Welcome back!
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My girls give a skit showing their before and after Childvoice.
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They love being with each other.
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Elderly matron was part of the returning celebration.
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Even the heavens smile on the opening celebration of the new campus.
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Sunset on campus.
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Always curious children around.
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Baking is one of the vocational skills the girls learn.
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Mother loving on her child.
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PIcture of peace.
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This 14 year old mother is enjoying her 3 year old disabled child.
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Demolished church near campus.
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Disfigured hand from a neglected bullet wound.
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Same 3 year old disabled child being loved by his 14 year old mother.
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Sunrise over nearby town called Gulu. Our team stayed in a guest house in town since there is not enough room yet on campus for guests.
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Morning devotions on campus.
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This girl decorates the frame of her first portrait that I was able to make for each of them.
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This girl lost both of her children to disease, but readily loves her friends child.
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Sunset on campus
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Every evening each girl pumps water from the local well and carries it their hut on campus.
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Sunrise over Gulu.
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Child sits with mom while she makes beads to sell.
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Curious child
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Mom and child interacting
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Sky over nearby Murchison Falls National Park.
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Our team took a day trip through Murchison Falls National Park
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Sunrise over Murchison Falls Park
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Wildlife in the park
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Hot and dusty in the park
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Beauty in dry season
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Iowa Majesty

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Uganda Favorites