Orphaned Rwandan kids share genocide aftermath through photographs

The 1994 Rwanda genocide left a generation of innocent children with no families, no homes and no resources.

But thanks to documentary photographer David Jiranek, the orphans, armed with cameras, are able to share their stories of the aftermath-through theirown eyes.

“Through the Eyes of Children: The Rwanda Project” is a traveling, month-long exhibition located in the Museum and Archives of Georgia Education (MAGE) at Georgia College & State University.

“The Rwanda Project” began as a four-week photographic workshop conceived by Jiranek in 1998, focusing on the importance of the children’s perspective on life after the genocide.

Jiranek taught the children, ages eight to 18, basic photography and gave them disposable cameras to photograph themselves and their community. The children use the profits from their photographs to continue their photography and to obtain an education.

“As I wandered the country, I took pictures and realized I was coming more to grips with what I couldn’t know, being an outsider, than with anything my pictures could say,” Jiranek said in an interview on ABC News. “But I did meet a group of street kids that took a great interest in my camera. I quickly taught them how to take pictures of each other, and we had a great time. I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be infinitely more fascinating to see Rwanda through their eyes?’ And so the idea was born. And the next year I returned to Rwanda with 50 disposable cameras.”

Initially, the pictures were developed locally, displayed on the orphanage walls and put into photo albums by the children. The children were soon invited by the U.S. Embassy to exhibit their work in the capital city of Kigali. Now, their award-winning work is known worldwide for being visually stunning and informative.

Frederick, a 17-year-old Rwandan boy was only six years old when the genocide occurred. His hands were chopped off with a machete, but four years later when Jiranek began “The Rwanda Project,” Frederick taught himself how to take pictures. He has since won a contest that led to a scholarship and his pictures regularly appear in the traveling exhibit worldwide.

According to Museum Curator Lamonica Sanford, approximately 800,000 people were killed and many kids were separated from their families during the genocide.

“The photographers and those photographed represent survival, the beauty of life and hope despite atrocity,” Sanford said.

According to Stephanie Raines, art major at GC&SU, the exhibit provides students the opportunity to reflect upon the tragedy by observing life as it is today in Rwanda.

“The exhibit is special because it’s from the children’s perspectives,” Raines said. “They’re rarely given the opportunity to voice themselves and this is a part of the media that we seldom see.”

Sanford said “The Rwanda Project” supports GC&SU’s liberal arts mission and the theme of the exhibit can touch students of all majors.

“The project is a timely piece I thought would attract a diverse audience and promote meaningful dialogue,” Sanford said. “People from various backgrounds see this exhibit all around the world and now it’s at GC&SU.”

Intergovernmental Affairs Specialist of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Deric Gilliard has traveled around the world and said he can relate to the photographs in the Rwanda Project exhibit.

“It’s amazing how young kids can make an impact. All too often in our society, we have a tendency to think people can’t reach this impact until a certain age, but the Rwanda Project defies this logic,” Gilliard said. “It’s wonderful that an exhibit of such historic magnitude has a chance to come to Middle Georgia.”

Many on-campus programs, such as an anime film titled “Grave of the Fireflies,” a lecture on “Justice and Reconciliation after the Genocide,” and a Frontline documentary “Ghosts of Rwanda” will be offered in conjunction with the Rwanda Project. These programs are sponsored by various groups on campus such as the Library Professional Development Committee, the Africana Studies Program, the Anime Club, the Department of Government and Sociology and MAGE.

The exhibit is open now through March 18, Tuesday through Friday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, call Sanford at 445-4391 or visit http://www.rwandaproject.org.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 18 2005. Filed under Other. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry