PHOTOGRAPHY CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

The Open is proud to support an amazing charitable non-profit called 100cameras. We’d like to encourage you to do the same by buying a print, donating a camera or making a donation at 100cameras.org.
100cameras identifies children living in unjust conditions around the world and gives them cameras to document their lives. Their photo narratives are used to raise awareness and funds to meet physical needs and empower sustainable growth within their communities.

It’s very simple: when you purchase a photo taken by children in a 100cameras learning project, 100 percent of that money is given back to the partner organization that works directly in that child’s community.

HOW IT WORKS

100cameras provides children with a creative platform to share their lives from their own perspective. They begin by identifying underserved communities locally and abroad that are home to orphans, at-risk children, children without rights and children who lack access to basic healthcare or education. After identifying these communities, 100cameras partners with organizations that have a track record and committed plan to providing sustainable solutions within these communities.  

The 100cameras staff then takes donated cameras to the project location in order to implement a photography course among the children.  The curriculum provides each child with a camera and includes a series of introductory lessons about basic camera fundamentals with a specific emphasis on documentation. Both the course and the resources give children the opportunity to express the realities of their every day through images. This partnership is empowering to both the children and communities involved. 

100cameras teaches a child how to capture and tell their story. This encourages a better self view, resulting in higher levels of confidence and ownership in their identity. Through their own photography, the children become self-advocators. Their pictures are the voices that speak awareness. 

100cameras is committed to sharing their perspective with a global community. Upon completion of a project, 100cameras has the unique position to carry these photographs across borders to bridge communities together. Specifically, this is accomplished through online print sales, web campaigns and a series of photo exhibition events. When someone purchases one of the children's photos, 100 percent of that money is given back to the partner organization in that child's community. 

100cameras has completed three successful projects thus far (South Sudan, NYC & Cuba) and plans to launch more projects in upcoming months.

Getting involved is easy. You can:

1. Sign up for emails to stay in the loop
2. Purchase a photo to help change a community
3. Donate cameras, dollars or skills
4. Host a snapshot fundraiser
5. Share the stories of 100cameras photographers with your friends

www.100cameras.org