Photos for Ethical Fundraising
Case Study: EIRENE
Brief
EIRENE is an international organisation which works nonviolently for peace. National and international peace workers and volunteers work together in joint programs. To encourage people to donate to one of their projects in El Alto, Bolivia, the German based organisation reached out to us in order to gain new visual material.
In the briefing, EIRENE stated that they are looking for photos that do not show the children or exploit their suffering. With the Bolivian photographer Wara Vargas from the Fairpicture network, we selected a visual creator who not only accepted this tricky challenge but also found creative and unique ways to meet this goal.
Client
EIRENE
Visual Creator
Wara Vargas
Theme
Prevention measures against sexualised violence
Locations
El Alto, Bolivia
Date
June 2023
Olivia (fictitious name) with Carola Góngora, a psychotherapist from the Machaqa Amawta Foundation, which works with child victims of sexual abuse.
Photo: Wara Vargas / Eirene / Fairpicture
Context
Since 2008, EIRENE has been cooperating with various civil society organisations and churches in the megacity of El Alto. Their aim is to strengthen children (and their rights), promote prevention measures against sexualised violence, support women as peacemakers and increase citizen participation so that conflicts do not escalate into violence.
As the project is primarily concerned with people, especially children, who have suffered terrible experiences in their lives, their dignity and protection was one of the most important aspects during this assignment.
Christina Chirinos (35), Psychotherapist working at SEPAMOS caring for girls boys and adolescents who are victims of sexual violence.
Photo: Wara Vargas / Eirene / Fairpicture
It was a real challenge to show the children without revealing their identity. That's why I not only tried different perspectives, but also something new: I printed out some of the children's photos and encouraged them to paint themselves.
Wara Vargas
Visual Creator, Bolivia
Silvia (fictitious name) in the psychotherapist section, in the SEPAMOS foundation, which cares for girls, boys and adolescents who are victims of sexual violence.
Photo: Wara Vargas / Eirene / Fairpicture
We have looked at all the pictures together with our management board. We do like them a lot.
Damaris Becker
Kommunikation und Fundraising, EIRENE
Clara (fictitious name), in a section with her psychotherapist Blanca Villarroel at the Maya Paya Kimsa facilities, which supports children and adolescents living on the streets. Clara was a girl who lived on the street, now she is an adult woman and she continues to go to Maya Paya Kimsa in search of support so as not to relapse.
Photo: Wara Vargas / Eirene / Fairpicture
Outcome
Wara created all of the visual material during the children’s sessions with their psychologists. She participated as a guest in their therapies and always reassured herself with the therapists how far she could go.
The photos taken during this assignment are an outstanding example of ethical and at the same time emotional storytelling. Without revealing the children's identities, Wara managed to tell their stories through creative and sometimes unusual perspectives. In addition, she chose a completely new approach: she printed out the children's photos and asked them to paint themselves, thus giving the visual material a very personal touch.
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