NFT: Dear BBI - we need your support...

Hello friends and family of BBI.

Most of you know that I am a professional travel photographer with a law degree. It's a unique (and dangerous) combination that has taken me around the world many times over and is now allowing me to make a subtle, yet drastic change in my life's work. I've previously focused on commercial and editorial work, but now I am transitioning into something I am even more passionate about, and have found to be the most fulfilling work of my life.

I have started a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization called Photo Start (www.photostart.org). Our mission is simple: To create opportunities through photography for the personal, social, and economic development of disadvantaged young people by teaching practical life skills and nurturing creative talent. We train and mentor children and young adults (ages 7 and up) in the art, craft, and business of photography.

Students learn self-expression through photography to foster positive change and economic opportunity in the increasingly shrinking global community.& #8203;

Students matriculating from the Photo Start program will have achieved an ability to incorporate practical skills into the next stages of their lives. We also encourage graduates to become mentors and instructors in the program.

By imbuing the most distressed children with marketable skills, and creating a self-perpetuating circle of instruction, we help improve the long term prospects of all members of the Photo Start family.

Many of the skills we teach are in high demand, or are pre-requisites, in other areas as well: MS Office for proposals/planning/budgeting, Adobe CS for post-processing, layouts and publishing, general Internet usage (building websites, getting e-mail, creating a Social Media presence), etc. These skills are quite basic to you and me, but these children have no access without our program.

I am currently working with a group of 20 children ages 7-15 in the Mathare Slums of Nairobi, Kenya. The majority of the children have absolutely zero opportunity for social or economic advancement. Period. Full stop. Most are lucky if they make tuition for grammar school; many go without. Our program starts with very basic introductory material and works up to graduate level material with the more advanced students. The kids are absolutely amazing, I can't repeat that enough.

I have been very lucky in life to do what I do. It is time for me to give back and make a true impact on the world beyond my own personal work. For example, yesterday we took the children to the Nairobi National Park. This may be the most unique game park in the world as it sits within the Nairobi county limits. It is a mere 30km from the Mathare Slums, however these children have never left the slum, let alone visited a place like that. One of our students summed it up best, "I never knew Nairobi was this beautiful."

I am asking BBI for your support by following our website and our instagram account: @photostartgo. We are making regular updates and are working towards an exhibition in the near future. We have garnered interest and support from various professionals, groups and organizations, but we would really appreciate it if you would follow and share our site and IG account with your friends and family as well to build a true grassroots following. If you would like to help in any other way, please get in touch with me directly.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this post, and I hope you'll consider supporting us. We would truly appreciate it.

Best,
David

(Apologies for the photo sizes: it's what is available for now)

Some of our class members:



One of the youngest members, happens to be one of the best:



Rooftop of our classroom, overlooking the slum:



Our classroom during a recent lesson (these kids take notes in blue books donated by the British High Commission and pay attention - novel):



Two of the students are taking photos out the top of one of our vans yesterday at the Nairobi National Park:




Photo Start Website - ( New Window )