Kamami

In a few weeks, Josh will be involved with the running of a workshop here in Guadalajara titled "Truth With a Camera." 10 photojournalism students from universities around the U.S. will travel here and each will be paired with a different non-profit organization. They will spend the week shooting photos that will benefit both parties; the non-profit will have photos to use to use for marketing, and the photographer will have the opportunity to expand their portfolio with new work. Along with this it is hoped that the student will benefit from a meaningful and eye-opening experience in a foreign country.

This morning I had a meeting with the director of one of the non-profit organizations called Kamami, a home for girls who have been sexually abused. Josh mentioned to the director that I have been designing websites for non-profits while living in Guadalajara, and the director scheduled a meeting with me to see if I could produce a new site for them.

I was really struck by my experience this morning, beginning with the moment I entered the building. Two young girls answered the door and welcomed me into a small courtyard where there were other little girls huddled together giggling on a couch. The atmosphere was bright, and the girls I encountered all seemed happy, despite their circumstances for living in Casa Kamami. There are various bedrooms in the space and each has a couple sets of bunk beds. There is a kitchen where the older girls living in the home cook meals for everyone, and they all eat together in a small dining area. The space is not huge, but it is adequate for the 19 girls who are currently housed there. I could not get out of my mind how tragic their situations must have been, and how important Casa Kamami is for them. The director thanked me profusely for taking on this project, but after the visit today I just don't know how there could be an alternative.