Ian Salang Photography

Charge Up! Conference Day -3 (The Unharming Project)

After 2 days of heavy workshops and classes, it was time to blood our delegates

This year, the photography stream came up with a very different approach. Grace and Olivia came up with the idea to

get our photography stream to do something not ordinary photography workshops would do. We managed

to partner with various NGO’s and church ministries. We wanted our delegates to go deep into the human soul. To capture images that had depth. Not just pretty pictures, but something meaningful. So each of our photo stream groups were assigned to make a montage for their partner. It was indeed a testing time for me and my team.

My team was assigned to WYAM. An NGO dedicated to un-harming the drug users or “Clients”. What’s to unharm them from? Well specifically focused to reducing the spread of HIV. To be amongst the “users” and help tell the story.

Once we reached our location, the team were briefed on what to do and what not to do once we were amongst the “users”

Our group would be working closely with loads of HIV infected needles. We were not prepared for what we would soon see.

They actually go in to meet with the “users” or “clients” and exchange clean needles for infected needles.

I know this sounds wrong. Why provide them needles? Well after much thought into their cause, it does make sense. HIV has no cure, drug addiction can be cured.

The NGO workers would go into the drug Nests and provide medicine and clean needles.

Before I proceed with this entry, I’d like to make things clear. We had escorts bring us in. Only 5 of us were

permitted to enter. DO NOT TRY THIS ALONE.

There are about 150 “users” in there who won’t hesitate to take drastic measures to protect themselves.

So please, if you find this building, don’t try to enter. It is not safe.

In fact it was the Drug dealers who were scouting us out and that was indeed worrisome. The dealers tolerated the NGO because it wasn’t taking away their customers. But a bunch of camera wielding, reporter like people could.

So we had to tread carefully. After much prayer we went in…

Rubbish, rats, feces and all manner and forms of bad stuff were strewn all over the place. It was like the Hilton for the “users” A sense of nausea begin to creep in. Unfamiliar smells and some familiar were overpowering.

Heroin

Can you imagine living in this conditions?

We were warned not to shoot once we reached one of the floors. They feared that their faces might end up on the news. So we shot mostly from the hip Our first encounter with the “users” or “clients” probably 8-9 of them on this floor.

The more I saw the less repulsed I became. I felt that there was hope for them. I began to feel pity for these poor souls. Most of them were not addicted by choice you know,…

I shot this in another nest. I call it hope. There were needles right where the ray of light hit the floor.

We entered one of the rooms and found this poor fellow (the kitten) tied to the bed.

I guess the “user” needed some companionship.

So we let the little fellow play on the bed. On normal circumstances, the kitten would have met a different fate with me.

Then we hit the streets and slowly we began to come to realize that our country has 2 worlds.

It was a serious EYE-opener. Ruidi was one of my team members. We proceeded to an alley nearby and the FGA church had set up a feeding station for the poor and needy.

These brave souls work everyday in this area, constantly in contact with sex-workers and drug users. Helping them steer clear from sharing needles and perhaps if there is a window of opportunity, share the Gospel.

Then it was back to home base to begin editing and compiling. Total of 8 photography teams were sent out on assignments today and all had to produce a montage for the NGO by midnight. Showcase was the next day!

Some of the video stream teams had already begun their post processing when we got back.

and some..

Some teams were getting ready for a long night of post-processing

Others like the Organizing team were finally beginning to unplug

Last team to submit project was at 3:30 a.m

Then it was time to get ready for the final day of Charge Up! Conference 2010 – Showcase day!

This entry was posted on Friday, January 22nd, 2010 at 2:40 pm and is filed under Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.