11. Carla and Her Girls
-
PhotographerKathleen Gerber, United States
-
Studiokgerberphoto.com
-
Website
-
Instagram
Carla is a young mother I met in Mozambique. She is the mother of
three daughters ranging from 5 to 10 years old. She looks quite
young but is actually is in her 30’s. Life is hard for Carla and her
girls; she works as a caretaker on several acres of property in the
countryside outside of the capital city of Maputo. She tends the
property for a mere 1800 MT which equates to approximately
$60/month. She is illiterate as she was not able to consistently go
to school while she was young since her family lived in the central
portion of Mozambique during the 18 years of civil war. Her
husband was not able to finish his education either and is now
working for the mines in South Africa. This is not a good situation
for Carla and her girls as it is not uncommon for the men to take on
other families and stop sending funds to their families as home.
This is now their situation, Carla is worried about the future of her
daughters since she knows that without the opportunity of
continuing their educations beyond Grade 7 it is difficult to “break
the cycle of poverty.” Building Hope is a project through African
Millennium Foundation (AMF) focused on building a high school to
support children that have been orphaned by aids and the
surrounding community, like Carla and her daughters. Maputo
Mozambique
I have always appreciated photography and began my own journey years ago exploring and refining my eye for seeing, respecting, and capturing the beauty around me. My journey with photography has exposed me to some amazing moments that are powerful memories that stay with me just the same. I have found myself drawn to photo essays since still photography is a powerful way to translate conditions and experiences between different cultures. I am motivated and dedicated to using my skills as a photographer to tell powerful and meaningful stories that evokes an understanding and/or action.
