Youth Photo Reflect — Tiffany Fairey

The Youth Photo Reflect participants, Orange Farm

The Real Dancers.

Despite the fact that we are surrounded by so many bad things my friend and I are happy that we can still show our talent.

These boys are happy and friends but they are doing the wrong thing. Smoking drugs comes from peer pressure, they influence each other in things like drugs, alcohol and then sex.

"Although I have a baby I don’t know anything about HIV/AIDS" said the older sister. Her sister agreed. They only hear the myths and rumours about HIV/AIDS. It makes me feel sad and scared because we all have to know about this disease. I think our government must build clinics and listen to the people, and NGOs must teach people about HIV/AIDS. We mustn't be ignorant about while it destroys our families.

This lady is open with her HIV status and she is proud and healthy. She likes to talk about her status but she says that if she talks about HIV to her friends they just say this thing is going to make you crazy. She always tells us to protect ourselves from HIV/AIDS.

Workshop

Peer pressure in Orange Farm

This photo means a lot to me because I'm wearing my uniform. When I was young I didn’t think I would go to secondary school. I'm so happy because my parents have decided to let me be educated. I will be able to support them. My mother believes in me and works hard for me to be educated. I want to be strong for my family.

We break our own education because we are going to school but not to do anything but stand outside the classrooms. But to read and write is what school is for. But we wont listen to what the teachers say. We keep on saying education is the key but we're still outside the classrooms. We break our education - we break our future.

Green Sky, Happy Team. Because of team work they won the game. We need team work as youth to learn new skills and gain confidence to fight the challenges.

Producing their digital stories (c) Lydia Martin

I like to work hard with my hands and to help people. Hands are there to help one another.

Youth Photo Reflect (2006-07) was a PhotoVoice project that worked with young people affected and infected by HIV / Aids in Orange Farm, a vast informal settlement 60km south of Johannesburg, South Africa. At the time, Orange Farm was the most isolated, least integrated region of Johannesburg. With over 1m people and an estimated 70% unemployment rate, the majority of the population either had no income or lived below the breadline. There was little to do and crime (including rape) and substance abuse levels were high. Such an environment provides fertile ground for the spread of HIV with people knowingly risking their lives through unsafe sexual practices. This project provided an innovative opportunity for young people themselves to challenge this phenomenon and to look beyond the traditional education programmes.

Run in partnership with Vukuzenzele Reflect Community Organisation (VRCO), the project involved a series of digital photography and storytelling workshops for young people between the ages of 12-18 who have been affected by HIV/AIDS. It culminated in local, national and international exhibitions and screenings.

Digital story: My Angel Sister by Gugu

Digital story: You Are Not Great Until You Make Someone Great by Sylvia