New Year, New Aspirations
Year 2010 is upon us, and with it comes new aspirations. Not wanting to rush ahead too much, a look back over the last three years might be in place!
It all started in the beginning of 2007, when I had a change to go and document (photograph) the work of HOPE worldwide in India. What a trip it were to be! 2 weeks, 6000 miles and and 7000 images later, I was starting to realise it was the dawn of a new era (pardon the pun, more on that a little later). I was impacted by the needs, moved by the hearts of the people and hooked beyond return to be working with and for the people less fortunate than us, around the world.
2007 saw another another book published on Afghanistan, and just before Christmas a trip to the Philippines and Cambodia. Wonderful people, lot of hurt and especially in Cambodia untold national trauma. Took me two weeks to get over it enough to start working on the images (proved to be my best loved book of them all!)
2008 a trip cross the southern and eastern US revealed a country with big needs, not to mention the devastation that Hurricane Katrina left in New Orleans. The Lower 9th Ward completely obliterated, wiped off the Earth. Half a million people never came back to their homes.
Out of Africa, it is impossible to describe this most wonderful of continents. A week touring Cote d'Ivoire was as usual a mixed bag of misery and suffering, wonderful people, great work, and the of riot during a national strike.. what an initiation to the African way of life.
To be followed later by a forced invitation to Nigeria. "Not going" was not an option, and I have found myself and my opinions being changed once again. Do not focus on the few bad apples.. the people are lovely, and there is a lot of work to do! The first nigerian book was followed by another, this time for the Mayflower Foundation. We ended up working with and for the local Lagos State government, and have been there ever since.
2009 was mostly spent working on all things Nigerian. We set up a new international development consultancy NEW ERA Partners. Current work spans from healthcare and education to waste management, power generation and creating a lot of new employment opportunities..
So, looking forward to an exiting new year (in Africa).
Mikko
It all started in the beginning of 2007, when I had a change to go and document (photograph) the work of HOPE worldwide in India. What a trip it were to be! 2 weeks, 6000 miles and and 7000 images later, I was starting to realise it was the dawn of a new era (pardon the pun, more on that a little later). I was impacted by the needs, moved by the hearts of the people and hooked beyond return to be working with and for the people less fortunate than us, around the world.
2007 saw another another book published on Afghanistan, and just before Christmas a trip to the Philippines and Cambodia. Wonderful people, lot of hurt and especially in Cambodia untold national trauma. Took me two weeks to get over it enough to start working on the images (proved to be my best loved book of them all!)
2008 a trip cross the southern and eastern US revealed a country with big needs, not to mention the devastation that Hurricane Katrina left in New Orleans. The Lower 9th Ward completely obliterated, wiped off the Earth. Half a million people never came back to their homes.
Out of Africa, it is impossible to describe this most wonderful of continents. A week touring Cote d'Ivoire was as usual a mixed bag of misery and suffering, wonderful people, great work, and the of riot during a national strike.. what an initiation to the African way of life.
To be followed later by a forced invitation to Nigeria. "Not going" was not an option, and I have found myself and my opinions being changed once again. Do not focus on the few bad apples.. the people are lovely, and there is a lot of work to do! The first nigerian book was followed by another, this time for the Mayflower Foundation. We ended up working with and for the local Lagos State government, and have been there ever since.
2009 was mostly spent working on all things Nigerian. We set up a new international development consultancy NEW ERA Partners. Current work spans from healthcare and education to waste management, power generation and creating a lot of new employment opportunities..
So, looking forward to an exiting new year (in Africa).
Mikko
posted by Mikko Summala at 5:14 AM
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