Photography with a Cause

Reflecting back on my trip to Ethiopia I am left with a strong sense of gratitude for the time I was able to spend with the tribes people.  It is humbling to think of the hardships they overcome, for example no running water, no electricity, basic medical support if you walk to the nearest town, and yet I didn’t hear a single complaint.  In contrast I picked up a strong sense of pride in their tribe, their culture and their community.

One of my coaching friends highlighted the difference between our first world issues and their third world issues.  When I get stuck in traffic that will take me extra time to get home I have to remind myself I am experiencing a first world issue and think about how bad it really is.  In southern Ethiopia a traffic jam is unheard of, there aren’t enough vehicles for that!

I have had a lot of conversations about the local culture with friends and acquaintances and the question comes up about how to change the practices we believe are wrong, such as women wearing lip plates and the Mingi child practice.  I don’t believe “we” can change these practices because we aren’t a part of this culture, it is a different world to the one we know and live in.  Instead, we can educate and provide support to those organizations that are an integral part of this world to offer new possibilities and help drive positive change on their terms, change that will be balanced and sustainable.

Thank you to everyone who has joined me in supporting Omo Child, the wonderful organization providing orphanages for the Mingi or “cursed” children.  Many of you have asked how you can buy prints of my pictures and I have set up a page on my web site that will now enable this and I will be donating 50% of any profit made to Omo Child.  I am offering clean high quality unframed prints with a board backing ready to hang, canvas prints and framed pictures in various sizes from 12 x 18 to 24 x 36, and the prints will be produced from one of the top printing companies.  If you are interested or simply want to look at the pictures and perhaps enjoy the slideshow, please visit my web site, andyrobbinsphotography.com and click on the Tribes of the Omo Valley link in the main menu to access the gallery.

Thank You!

Andy