Changing worlds with photography.
CLED, Ghana - Michael Venn
*Note: all donations are calculated in $USD*
Donors like you have helped photographers fundraise 100% of project-related costs since 2014!
A NOTE FROM Michael Venn (PWB Photographer):
For a general overview of the project please watch the video above. To learn more about Photographers Without Borders and CLED please read further or click the highlighted links.
For the past 10 years PWB has been pairing photographers with locally run NGOs all over the world. These photographers have helped raise awareness and gain support for dozens of campaigns in a variety of humanitarian areas.
I have been invited by Photographers Without Borders to travel to Ghana this summer to work with an origination called CLED (Campaign For Learning Disabilities), an non-governmental organization whose main goal is to educate and support children with learning disabilities.
CLED's programs focus on supporting children in areas where they need more targeted help such as reading, writing, math and computer skills.
CLED also offers community programs that focus on training parents and teachers on how to better educate children with learning disabilities. CLED is dedicated to the inclusion of all children in the educational process and maintains that "no child with a learning disability should drop out of school".
My personal goals during this project are as follows:
- learn more about the work that CLED does on behalf of children with disabilities
- engage with the local community
- meet the children that CLED is servicing
- use my camera to help tell the story of who these children are, the difficulties they face and the realities of being a child in Ghana living with a learning disability
I appreciate your attention and hope you will find a way to contribute to this great cause. Please keep the exchange rate in mind as all donations are calculated in US dollars.
Thank You!
Michael Venn
CLED: http://cledghana.org/
The following was contributed by the Photographers Without Borders organization:
Every year, our photographers and videographers donate hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of their time to document the work of grassroots initiatives that are making a real change in this world where it is most needed. By capturing, honouring and witnessing humanity at its best, we are not only inspiring many, but we are forging new narratives of what is and what is possible.
You can help by supporting our photographers and videographers (See the side bar to the right to see fundraisers for our most recent recruits).
Each of our official photographers/videographers is assigned a GroupRev fundraising page by PWB upon acceptance. These pages are a privilege we offer that are intended to make our programs accessible to all and enable our volunteer photographers/videographers to subsidize or cover these necessary project-related expenses:
- Airfare
- Visa's
- Vaccinations
- Health Insurance
- Travel Insurance
The following expenses are the sole responsibility of the photographer:
- Privately arranged travel
- Equipment & Equipment Insurance
- Software
- Extra Baggage Fees
- Donation perks
- Clothing
- Postage/Postcard/Prints
- Etc.
Photographers Without Borders® (PWB) envisions a world where we all put ourselves in each others' shoes and work together. Our mission is to inform and inspire positive change by visually communicating the ways that grassroots initiatives are addressing problems in their communities. PWB is registered as a charity in the United States with 501(c)(3) status and is registered as a not-for-profit organization in Canada. All donations are calculated in US Dollars and are tax-deductible for Americans and Canadians with US income.
PWB is not responsible for any donations made outside of these pages.
Any overage amounts raised on GroupRev will be donated with the photographers direction, 100% to the Organization, 100% to PWB or split 50/50, between the photographer's/videographer's assigned cause and PWB, which is also a volunteer-run organization.
PLEASE DONATE GENEROUSLY !
- Please note:
- All donations are calculated in US Dollars and are tax-deductible for Americans and Canadians with US income.
| Josh & Stacey | |
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Nikki Hall
Good luck Mike |
$200.00 |
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Leo Furey
Good luck with it all. Leo |
$100.00 |
| Adam and Lauren | $75.00 |
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Hilary Elizabeth Adams
I can't wait to hear all about it xo Have the best time!!! |
$20.00 |
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Lou Beekhuizen
How am I only hearing about this now. Good luck xxx |
$40.00 |
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Carol and Ken
Go forth and prosper! Love... |
$50.00 |
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Leigh Sheppard
Good Luck Mike. |
$50.00 |
| Jonathan Thompson | $40.00 |
| E; | $20.00 |
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Eric & Emma xox
So proud of you Uncle Venn!!! You're truly inspirational. |
$100.00 |
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Anonymous
Good luck with your project Mike. |
$200.00 |
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Master Card
Excellent, Mike! Will look forward to your news and Photos! Best of luck!! Mary and Bob |
$40.00 |
| Maja Lukic | |
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Drove
You're awesome. |
$25.00 |
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The Watsmas
Way to go man! |
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Timothy Forton
Sounds like a great cause and an amazing opportunity. Good luck!! |
$200.00 |
| Anonymous | $20.00 |
| Heather & Paul | |
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David V. & Praj K.
Enjoy your adventure! |
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RSH
Yeah boy |
$30.00 |
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Sylvia Bell
Woot Woot! |
$100.00 |
|
Purcell's
So excited for you to experience another part of this world. Thank you for giving...of your time, care, attention... to kids with developmental disabilities. |
$200.00 |
| Susan and John Venn | $150.00 |
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Fluff Cole Hawley
Happy to support Photographers without Borders/children with LDs and your professional development. Your photos and you are awesome. Keep up the good work!! Fluff |
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Susan Venn
Checking process .proud of you. |
$25.00 |
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Lew Page
Best regards Mike. |
$150.00 |
| Michael Venn |
August 13, 2016 9:52 PM
Hi Friends,
I'm writing you on the evening of my departure to Ghana. I've just finished packing, charging my batteries and cleaning my camera's lenses. In other words I'm ready.
I wanted to write to say thank you to each and every one of you. Because of your overwhelming support we were able to raise over $2600 and starting on Monday that money will be put into action.
I'm looking forward to reporting back, sharing photos and demonstrating how your generosity is helping CLED (and Photographers Without Borders) in their mission to improve the lives of children with intellectual and physical disabilities.
My fundraising page will be active until I return on September 1 so if you would like to share this story with one of your generous friends that would be welcomed. Of course that is not necessary as you've done so much towards this cause already :)
I'll be in touch when I return and will be drawing one of your names to win a glass print of one of the photos I capture during this trip. Thank you again for all of your support and encouragement!
Sincerely,
Mike
August 13, 2016 9:52 PM
Hi Friends,
I'm writing you on the evening of my departure to Ghana. I've just finished packing, charging my batteries and cleaning my camera's lenses. In other words I'm ready.
I wanted to write to say thank you to each and every one of you. Because of your overwhelming support we were able to raise over $2600 and starting on Monday that money will be put into action.
I'm looking forward to reporting back, sharing photos and demonstrating how your generosity is helping CLED (and Photographers Without Borders) in their mission to improve the lives of children with intellectual and physical disabilities.
My fundraising page will be active until I return on September 1 so if you would like to share this story with one of your generous friends that would be welcomed. Of course that is not necessary as you've done so much towards this cause already :)
I'll be in touch when I return and will be drawing one of your names to win a glass print of one of the photos I capture during this trip. Thank you again for all of your support and encouragement!
Sincerely,
Mike
July 3, 2016 10:53 AM
Hi Everyone!
There is just under 2 months before I depart for Ghana and all of those pre-trip feeling are beginning to surface. It's mostly a combination of excitement, nerves, curiosity, and wonder, with a sprinkle of anxiety for good measure.
Today's update is a quick one as I just wanted to share the article I was featured in on the Photographers Without Borders website. If you click the link below you can read about my history as a photographer as well as the mission and goals of the CLED organization.
Photographers Without Borders - Dispelling stigmas surrounding intellectual disabilities in Ghana
As always thank you for joining me on this journey!
Mike
June 12, 2016 2:11 PM
Dear Friends, Family & Supporters,
It's been a while since I sent out an update on my Photographers Without Borders campaign and I wanted to take a minute to update you on how things have been going.
I want to begin by THANKING each and everyone who has donated thus far. Thanks to your generous support my campaign has raised 50% of the necessary funds to make this trip happen. Your support means the world to me and I couldn't have gotten this far without you, so thank you.
As for the planning part of my trip this is where I'm at so far:
-My flight has been booked and I leave on August 14th, 2016
-I have received all medical vaccinations necessary for this trip
-I have secured the proper travel/emergency medical coverage
-I have been introduced to the local contact from the organization I will be working with (CLED)
There are still a few things left on the to-do list before I'm ready to go. These things include:
-Apply for and secure a volunteer visa for Ghana
-Skype meeting with the director of Photographers Without Borders where we will discuss the principles of ethical photography & photojournalism
-Enrol in the Registration of Canadians Abroad program
-Charge my camera batteries and board the flight!!
There is just over 2 months until my flights leaves. That means there is only 2 months until your donation dollars are put into action in the field and I'm excited to keep you updated as I get closer to the departure date.
In the meantime I am still trying to raise the other 50% of the funds for this trip. I know I have already asked a lot of you but I have one more request. The best way for these types of campaigns to succeed is by words of mouth - so - if you could think of 1 person in your social network to share my campaign page with I'm sure we would start closing the gap on the remaining 50%.
Thank you again for your tremendous support so far! I am lucky to have such generous and supportive people in my life and honestly, I couldn't do this without you.
-Mike
May 6, 2016 6:00 PM
Dear Friends, Family & Supporters,
I'm writing to catch you up on how my fundraising efforts have been going and also to thank you. Thank you for your donations, thank you for your encouragement, and thank you for caring about the journey I am embarking on.
Because of your generous contributions I am now more than 25% of the way to my goal!
I have included a short video in this update which I hope will give you more insight into my motivations for choosing photography as a way of giving back to the world.
I believe that the right photograph at the right moment in time has the power to speak volumes of truth where words would only fail.
With that in mind I'll leave you with the words of photographer Irving Penn and invite you to watch one of my favourite videos of all time.
"A good photograph is one that communicates a fact, touches the heart and leaves the viewer a changed person for having seen it. It is, in a word, effective.”
https://youtu.be/RMEOzOBHqDw
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