Development Without Dignity

This post is one of many participating in the Day Without Dignity initiated by the Good Intentions Are Not Enough Blog. Follow the link to learn more about what people are saying, and the controversial TOMS ‘Day Without Shoes’ Event that sparked these discussions.

A few years ago, Fonase Banda, of Chikandwe Village, Malawi, was photographed with her daughter Milika by a major INGO. At the time, the two were told that the INGO would arrange for Milika to have a pen pal with someone internationally. The connection with the pen pal, however, was never made.

When I talked about this with Fonase and her husband Bauleni last year, at the start of the Perspectives of Poverty project, they were quite upset that nothing had happened. “We only see them driving in their trucks, but they do not come here,” they said.

As someone appalled by how rural Africans have been characterized in the media and in fundraising campaigns for INGOs, I began the Perspectives of Poverty project to show the many ways in which people can be characterized through images, and the false conclusions these images may lead us to. I have had the privelidge of living with the Banda family, where Fonase cared for me as a mother. I know her as a reslilient and lively woman, full of character.

The thought of her being characterized as anything different upset me, and I returned to Chikandwe Village at the end of 2010 to include Fonase and Milika in the Perspectives of Poverty project. I wanted to take a photo that resembled the one taken by the INGO as closely as possible – based on Fonase’s description – and contrast it with one of my own photos. But when I arrived, a curious thing had happened: the INGO had come to the village, and installed a new borehole.

Water had been a serious issue in the village previously. I myself had been sick many times while I lived there, I believe largely because of the open shallow well – frequently murky – that we used to drink from. But now the people of Chikandwe had clean water, and it was because of this INGO who had taken the photos previously.

For me, this brought up one of the key issues that has arisen in the discussion about how poverty should be characterized in the media. Some argued that portraits of despair or desperation can play a positive role if they generate funds that are used to do good work. While I agree that the borehole has had a positive impact on Chikandwe village and the Banda family, I question the necessity of undignified images.

And so I put it to you, the reader. Below are the two images of Fonase Banda with different members of her family. The first is a photo taken to resemble, as closely as possible, the photo taken by the INGO. The second is one of my photos, taken to show the true character of this remarkable woman. Both photos show a woman who faces mighty challenges and a woman of resilience and capability.

 Fonase Banda and her daughter Milika, resembling the photo taken by the INGO

Fonase Banda and her husband Bauleni, photographed here with their son Duncan.

The question: is a portrait of despair needed to secure a donation, or to advance good work? Could a more dignified representation have achieved the same thing, or even more?

I look forward to your comments.