Imagine losing your life time investment in a flash!!

Please click on this link  – Imagine losing your life time investment in a flash!!.

via Imagine losing your life time investment in a flash!!.

I was tremendously sad when I read that my blogging friend Edward Echwalu recently had all his camera equipment stolen.

Heartbreaking enough for any photographer but even more so when you are a freelance photographer in Africa and replacing your cameras becomes tremendously difficult when you cannot work without them.  Where is the income to come from?

Some friends of Edward’s have started a face book page

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/EchwaluPhotographyFundraisers

and a fundraising page.

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/african-stories-through-photography

Some words from the page –

“This project is so valuable because for many reason; the African narrative has been characterized by pictures of disease, war, starvation and crime yet there is a positive side to the life on this continent. Helping a photojournalist like Edward tell the positive side to the story will help in educating many more about Africa but also tell the African story as an African Journalist.”

I’m asking my blogging friends, especially the photographers amongst you to consider contributing a few pounds/dollars to help Edward replace his cameras. It’s easy to do if you have Paypal

Addendum – Why would you want to do that?  Why did he not have his equipment insured? Was it his own fault? These are all things I’ve been asked since posting this on Facebook and I can understand this from a Western point-of-view but Edward doesn’t live in the West he lives in Uganda where it is tremendously difficult , or nigh on impossible to get insurance and of course I certainly don’t believe it was his own fault. 

Life in Uganda is very different and if you are not already familiar with his wonderful work , here are a few links to some of his posts for you to see for yourself how important his work is.

Please click on the photo for the 1st link. This is one of Edward’s photos.

edwards photo

http://echwaluphotography.wordpress.com/2013/05/22/sustainable-agroforestry-in-uganda-and-tanzania/

http://echwaluphotography.wordpress.com/2012/04/11/beyond-kony-rebuilding-life-in-northern-uganda/ 

Thanks for reading I hope you will feel able to offer a little money to help.. sometimes we all need to Pay it Forward..

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10 thoughts on “Imagine losing your life time investment in a flash!!”

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  5. This is a very sad occurrence, Helen. How I managed to get through my Kenyan time without having any of my gear stolen I don’t know – but strict precautions (which are still with me now) were a way of life. It was a huge culture shock as I’d been in Arabia before Kenya, and there were zero theft problems there – I recall money changers in the souks sitting behind low tables on which were piled great stacks of paper money – each stack held down by a brick! – with not the slightest thought of theft – there just wasn’t any. Then Kenya – and theft everywhere, bars on windows, security guards.

    I was always able to get all risks insurance for my optical gear in Kenya and I’m sure that’s still the case. But Kenya isn’t Uganda – although an old ornithological colleague still resident in Uganda (Kampala) finds it ok, and has had the confidence to marry and build a new house there – but then again Kampala and outside are doubtless two different propositions – and especially so for travellers in northern Uganda.

    I would never have dreamed of carrying uninsured gear around in Kenya – but then I could afford insurance – maybe your friend couldn’t. Adrian

    Reply ↓

    • It is indeed very sad as he is a quite brilliant photographer. Are you familiar with his blog? I’ve been following it for getting on for 2 years. Take a look at some of the links if you haven’t already.. Edwards “insurance” was to have 2 cameras and usually left one at home but on this occasion he was going to do a charity shoot and wanted to give it his best (in line with his character) so he brought both with him. he doesn’t have a car so had to use the bus.. I have posted this on facebook on a couple of photographers walls amongst others and have been disappointed at the typically “Western” attitude of some who don’t seem to realise that getting insurance for a camera in Uganda is nigh on impossible unless you are pretty wealthy and to afford it in another country ( Edward looked at the possibility of America) was prohibitively expensive. You know only too well how very different things are in parts of Africa..

      Reply ↓

      • No I’m not familiar with his blog but the pictures on the links you give are striking. Something that struck me after I’d posted my comment to your blog was that, when I was a safari professional, I never took any photo gear along with me at all – just my (very expensive!) binoculars. This was partly because I didn’t want to be competing with my clients for photo opportunities – I could line the vehicle up with just them in mind. But the other thing was that, in a very busy job, cameras and lenses would have been just one more thing to have to think about and have stolen.

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