I finally arrived in Africa a week ago, the start of a six week long trip to Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa and Sudan during which I’ll be documenting the work of several charities and the communities they are helping. In Tanzania, where I have been based for the last week, I’ve been working with a charity called LivLife.
LivLife was set up several years ago with the aim of giving the local Masai access to education and vocational training. The centre at Meserani, south east of Kilimanjaro, is where LivLife are developing a business plan and a programme of courses that they hope can be applied to any different community, in Tanzania or beyond. The charity focuses on responding to the needs of the local community, providing relevant courses and training and evolving a self-sustainable business model that can be run by the local people as a business. Any profits are invested back into the running of the centre.
Over the last few days I’ve been following LivLife staff member and co-founder Max Griffiths, covering his work at the centre and day-to-day life in Meserani. I’ve photographed computer classes, hiked into the surrounding country and met many of the Masai that use the centre, travelled with a Masai called Alex Meliyo to his family boma, followed Alex and Max as they start a new community outreach programme and dodged cows at the big weekly market.
From the tiny portion of the country I have seen, Tanzania is a wonderful place and I am already planning a return trip sometime later this year. Photography is NOT something that comes difficult in such a fabulous location. I’ll be uploading a full selection of images over the next few weeks but until then, a few portraits from Meserani.
I am a freelance photographer based in the UK and SE Asia. I shoot environmental, travel, natural history and underwater images, primarily for charities, NGO's and conservation organisations.
If you would like to discuss licensing, assignments or have any specific image requests, please do not hesitate to contact me.
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All content © 2010 by Matthew Oldfield Photography
