Mark’s latest from Madagascar and photographer, Ed Kashi, in action!
Posted on 18 January 2010
Mark is currently in Madagascar seeing how everything is going with all the projects and specifically working with Ed Kashi, the photographer who won the commission of the Prix Pictet , and this is what he has to say about the first 2 weeks in Madagascar…
Ed Kashi, winner of the commission of the Prix Pictet arrived in Madagascar on the 9th of January to a hum of excitement from the staff of Azafady. His mission was to boldly go where no photo journalist had gone before and provide a series of photos highlighting issues of sustainability in the south east of the great red island. Not wanting to waste a second, after dropping off his bag Ed, Lisa Bass and I dived into a 4×4 and within 30 minutes of arrival had Ed knee deep in the mud of a rice paddy photographing a family planting rice, to the great amusement of the local villagers!
Right from the start we knew that Ed and Azafady were a match made in heaven.
In his first few days, Ed managed to capture the issue of ‘tavy’ or slash and burn agriculture, which has caused so much damage to the precious remaining environment, witness a traditional Malagasy funeral, and dragged a stalled land cruiser out of a ditch with his bare hands.
Then, on the weekend, he undertook an arduous journey to explore the arid spiny forest, where Azafady are working to combat malnutrition through Project Votsotse, and where the devestating effects of climate change are clearly visible on already impoverished communities. Ed’s deft hand caught photos clearly portraying the daily struggle against drought, failed crops and sand encroachment that these communities endure. One image that will always stay with me is that of a woman who took us to see her water collection point, provided by an aid agency some years ago: With the lack of rain over the last few years the water had all but disappeared, leaving a dry river bed. Using just a small shovel she managed to get the parched mud to release small puddles of water which she then colleted in a muddy bucket – her family’s drinking water for the day. If anyone needed a graphic representation of the realities of unsustainable life and climate change, this was it. In silence we moved on to capture scenes of food distribution by Azafady and the health checks currently being provided in 42 villages to a population of some 90,000 people; health checks that enable our outreach team to monitor children’s growth, and prepare to distribute food aid if malnutrition looms.
With only a few days left on his expedition, Ed already has a bulging set of memory cards, which document the vital work Azafady is doing, and the crucial issues surrounding sustainability in Madagascar. The exhibition in March promises to be quite spectacular, and I hope that you are looking forward to the results - I know I am.
3 responses to Mark’s latest from Madagascar and photographer, Ed Kashi, in action!
Hi Mark,
I can’t wait to see the photos. Hope the exhibition helps put Madagascar under the spotlight.
gill
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food aids are badly needed by third world countries and we really need to give something to the poor.,~: