Collection Of Photos And Video For CASE-OVC Project at Christian Aid

BACKGROUND In Christian Aid’s Vision 2020 it is stated that “Our vision is to bring change and to be change . . .” Of all the different kinds of photography, the only one that deals directly with change, the need for it and it’s effects on people, is social documentary photography.

This is one of the primary reasons why for some time Christian Aid’s approach to photography has been firmly in the sphere of social documentary.

Though gathering evidence and recording the actualities of people’s lives (of joy and happiness, grief, loss, ways of living, violence, suffering, injustice, death) is the essence of a social documentary approach in photography, such an approach also has an exceptional ability to engage and move the public. Equally important, it admits the taking of sides. This is the most efficient & direct photography for promoting causes and ideas, especially the complex ones like those that occupy us at Christian Aid.

Photographs (or pictures in general) are not ideas though, nor are they equivalents of words. They exist on the obverse side of language, and strong photos together with good written material, well-timed, can ignite imaginations and inspire people to act. They may also help dispel the myth of compassion fatigue, and the creeping sense of dystopia we sometimes encounter as we communicate the realities and nature of poverty.

Like us when we photograph, professional photographers struggle to find ways of documenting actuality, hoping that their photos will make people take notice and be involved. A balance has to be found between the struggle to document and communicate the nature of poverty, to make visible that which has been rendered invisible, and becoming too embroiled in an event or situation. ‘To document a condition is not to explain it. The condition is a symptom, not a cause, more precisely, it is the outcome of a process’.1

APPROACH at Christian Aid we approach as fellow human beings. We are sensitive and respectful to the world around us. Our documentary style puts human experience and all its scope at the centre of the story, and change as the reason for the narrative. We believe such an approach to be enormously empowering in its ability to portray others’ lives honestly and directly while at the same time sometimes being loaded with criticism and analysis, as appropriate, of processes that keep people poor and powerless.

In the reality of photography, the approach described above translates into twelve points of practice that we always adhere to. In photography, we practice what we preach:

1. Our photos represent respectfully & accurately the concerns & experiences of beneficiaries & of partners.

2. We select & use only those photos that are consistent with the spirit of Christian Aid’s brand identity.

3. Our photos are direct & straightforward, promoting Christian Aid’s values of fairness, solidarity & justice.

4. Our photos represent the full complexity of the stories we tell.

5. In use Christian Aid’s photos represent the real situation, location & identity of their subjects.

6. We inform people about how photos made of them & their community will be used, welcoming their participation in communicating their own stories. We are especially careful that adults watching over unaccompanied minors also understand and give agreement.

7. Being aware of the role photography plays in shaping perceptions, we do not use photos that stereotype, sensationalise or discriminate.

8. We believe that portraying individuals as victims is degrading.

9. We don’t use photos in a manner that will do harm to the persons or community appearing in them.

10. Our photos are captioned accurately.

11. Our photos are never flipped.

12. We acknowledge the contribution of photographers, & always credit them

Program Description:

The Comprehensive Assistance Support and Empowerment Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CASE-OVC) program will work collaboratively with the Department of Children Services (DCSs), Ministry of Health, development partners and local implementing partners (LIPs) to ensure that children affected by HIV/AIDS are resilient and thriving within their household and communities. Program implementation will be underpinned by these principles: Strengthening systems to enhance local ownership, community participation, and commitment; leveraging Christian Aid and Pathfinder International technical experience working with high impact evidence-based and context-driven interventions; strong commitment to rights-based programming, empowerment of women and girls, and support for vulnerable populations including the disabled and the poor; robust transition and graduation to ensure sustainability and foster resilience among OVC and application of participatory monitoring, evaluation and learning strategies.

Scope of Work

The anticipated work will take no longer than three days. Christian Aid will provide transport and accommodation.

Specific Guidelines

Children (orphans)

Up close photos of smiling girl aged 3 to 10 (20 Pics)

Up close photos of smiling girl age 11 to 15 20 (20 Pics)

Up close photos of smiling boys age 3 to 10 (20 Pics)

Up close photos of smiling boys age 11 to 15 20 (20 Pics)

Up close photos of girls in somber/reflective mood age 3 to 10 20 (20 Pics)

Up close photos of girls in somber mood/reflective age 11 to 15 20 (20 Pics)

Up close photos of boys in somber mood/reflective age 3 to 10 20 (20 Pics)

Up close photos of boys in somber mood aged 11 to 15 (20 Pics)

Children

Candid photos of girls in various activities i.e. playing, doing homework, helping with household chore (20 Pics)

Candid photos of boys in various activities i.e. playing, doing homework, helping with household chore (20 Pics)

Caregivers and Guardians

Up close photos of care givers and guardians together with the orphans and vulnerable children (20 Pics)

Video

Children - A set of three two and half minute interview video of orphans and vulnerable children (2.30 Minutes)

Care Givers - A set of three two and a half minute interview videos of orphans and vulnerable children (2.30 Minutes)

Children - A set of two two and a half minute video of children in different activity photos (2.30 Minutes)

Children - A set of two two and a half minute video of care givers and guardians during different activities (2.30 Minutes)

Validation Exercise

A set of photos and videos will be developed to capture the validation process (20 photos & 2.30 Minute interviews)

Captioning

All photos ought to be captioned in the following criteria.

1. Full name of person in the photo

2. Sub location and location of photos

3. Activity taking place during photo shoot

Submission of Work

1. Photos need to be labeled in folders based on the above criteria

2. Photos need to be delivered in 500 GB to 1 TB storage space

3. Photos need to be in the highest quality resolution. t-family: