It is amazing to think of all the things I would have done if I were there, but I wasn’t. I’m not. Every time I look at this child I imagine picking her up and carrying her elsewhere. That doesn’t really matter because at the time of this picture I was three years old. The messages that this photo sends are heart-wrenching. So many things are taken for granted. Not many people stop to think about how much what we have might mean to someone who does not have it, like food, or water, or shelter.
The photographer who took the photo above was a part of a photojournalist group called “Bang Bang Club” and they went around taking devastating pictures that were occurring in Africa. This is another one:
This next picture shows an aunt sitting next to her nine-month-old nephew who was hacked to death along with his mother, who is not pictured.
Their Journey
Of the four photographers in the “Bang Bang Club” only two survived. One, mentioned above, killed himself because of the depression brought on by much of what he witnessed. The other was fatally wounded during one of their photo expeditions. The photographs above do not show the violence they witnessed, only the results. There are however photographs on their website. Also, the two surviving photographers went on to write a book discussing their journey through war-torn areas and as South Africa moved towards a non-racial democracy. The book is filled with their emotional and personal journeys. Their boldness raises several moral issues with their photography. When do they stop being objective onlookers and get involved? How could they just stand there and take all of the photographs in the first place? One thing that I remind myself though is that if they didn’t, no one would. And if no one took these photographs we would have less evidence of the tragedy that happens in Africa. It would all just be words with no connection. Their photographs, although very controversial and depressing, provide insight to the tragedies that occurred and still do.
It is interesting to think that these situations in which those pictured find themselves happen because of their governments and poverty. We don’t see poverty and government like they do. When they experience the wrath of their government it is first hand and through violence. And here we have the audacity to complain about raised taxes. Our poor who live on the streets can beg and be granted food or some money for the day, whereas some children don’t eat for days and die of starvation. It is not fair that we can complain as much as we do and many of them get beat and slaughtered for trying to speak out. I know my blog is focuses on children, but the adults of Africa were those same children at one point. They grew up in the same situations of poverty, hunger, and abuse.
K’naan
K’naan is a Somali rapper who writes songs about his home country and the struggles that they go through. One of the songs that I felt fit this topic very well was his song “Wavin’ Flag” because of the message of strength and perseverance it emotes.
Sarah McLachlan—World on Fire
World on Fire: Their World is Our World
I figured that Sarah McLachlan’s video “World on Fire” would be a nice conclusion, even though my topic was centered on Africa. Her music video really sheds light on how a little amount can be given and it can make a huge difference, and yet we just go on with our daily lives and our vain habits. It is interesting to think about how most Americans worry about what brand of clothing they wear or whether their shoes match, when there are little kids elsewhere who don’t even have food to eat. It seems selfish to own anything that is not a necessity. As bad as readers might feel when they look at the pictures or the video, how many are actually going to do something about it?
It truly is a shame that the majority of people who read this will do little to nothing in order to prevent this. Of course, there are so many problems with this world that stopping everything that is happening in our own lives just to help a child we have never met is a little bit out of our schedules and we just don’t have time to donate even a small sum to a good cause. Please reread that previous sentence if you did not catch that I was being facetious.
There are several websites and organizations that set up programs in order to help fight for these children and the adults as well. These are some of the sites that have more information on the matter and those relating, as well as how we can help.
Child Trafficking in Africa
West Africa: Combating Child Trafficking
Child Trafficking
Oak Foundation
Sources:
Bang Bang Club
