A Great Journey, a great adventure, an uncertain outcome

Readers of this blog will be aware of my photojournalistic roots, and how a cause is never far from my heart or soul

Between Christmas and New Year I was contacted by Werner Stadler of a South African NGO called  'True North'

The NGO works in the townships of Vrygrond Overcome Heights, just outside of Cape Town, helping vulnerable children and their families, in the areas of education and basic needs

There is a high level of substance abuse and addiction (alcohol and crystal meth) and unemployment of around 70 percent

Werner contacted me enquiring if I could send one of my 'Location Lighting' DVD's to show the youth in the community

This of course would have been a pleasure, but I saw a phone number on the bottom of the email and decided to call it...........

I said 'yes' I would love to send as many out as he wanted, free of charge, but something made me offer to come over and do a week long workshop with some of the youths in one of the most challenged areas of this growing nation

And that my friends is why I find myself sitting in Werner's house in South Africa, staying with him and his family

It is as the title says, quite an adventure, as at 9am local time on Wednesday morning I will be taking a class of 12 local youths and teaching them basic photography, so they can document the plight of their local community on a day to day basis.

I saw Overcome Heights for the first time today, spare a  thought my friends as you go to sleep tonight, half the homes have no electricity.


What at the outset seemed like an interesting experiment now seems like a mountain to climb

I truthfully have no idea of the outcome of this ambitious project but I will be giving it my best shot

Keep an eye out for many regular updates