Tell Me - Photographic Essay

“TELL ME”- A project where Palestinian children spent 12 weeks undertaking photographic and creative writing workshops and fun activities designed to inspire and encourage imagination, and allow them freedom to express themselves.

This work resulted in an coffee table book and 50 kids who achieved something that will promote Palestine and the lives of Palestinian children in a positive and informative way.

Seventeen children record their lives as they see it, as they are living it.

Each child was matched with an international patron: someone from elsewhere in the world, who was interested in the life of Palestinian children. Patrons were asked to submit a brief bio and to ask 5 questions of their child, in response to which the child wrote stories and took photographs to illustrate their answers. The children were also free to take additional photos and write about anything they wanted their patron to know about their lives.

The end result was a fascinating and emotional 80+ page book in both Arabic and English - with work from every child who participated - about who they are: using photographs that they took, and stories that they wrote.

During the project the children worked to a schedule to create something that is completely theirs. They developed their reading and writing skills, photographic techniques and observation skills, had fun, laughed, worked as a team, set goals, gathered and recorded information, practiced public speaking, and problem solved. The children were allowed to be as creative as they wanted and express themselves without boundaries. We did nothing but teach them basic camera techniques and assist them with their literacy and creative writing skills. They also benefited from the one-on-one dialogue with an international person who made a commitment to them; a relationship that can be continued long after the project has ended.

As well as enriching the lives of the children for a period time, we also hope that their book will create an awareness and understanding of the situation of children in the Palestinian Occupied Territories