Nº 30

«Barack Obama was one of these disposed kids»

It all started here, at the funeral in the photo above, but it actually comes from long ago. Since the beginning of his career as a photographer in 1967, Steven Shames has shown a clear interest: the lives of disadvantaged, abandoned and poor children. His images are stunning documents which speak for themselves, and are part of permanent collections of institutions like the International Center of Photography in New York, or the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, to name a few. Nine years ago, Shames was in Uganda, working on a story of AIDS orphans, and photographed the funeral of a woman, who left five orphaned children behind. The youngest, just a few months old, was called Sarah. Steven Shames decided to take over the education of the little Sarah, her family, and later also of a dozen orphans from the village. He wanted them to attend the best schools in Africa. In 2004, his interest had grown to an unprecedented educational project: LEAD Uganda. Today, the lives of more than 70 children, including Sarah, have been transformed. Steven Shames tells us the details of this fascinating adventure in this interview.

Versión en español

KINDSEIN: In one of your photographs, you can see two children who need protection to go to school. Why?

STEVEN SHAMES: The rebels operate right near the IDP camps where they live and often raid the schools to abduct children. In the photo you mention, two of our students - both former child soldiers who live in Pader IDP camp - are returning home from boarding school during vacation. Since they must travel for 2 hours through territory where rebels operate, the soldiers protect them.

KINDSEIN: Many people are trying to change the educational system in the Western countries, because it is not working as it should. You talk about your children going to the best schools in Africa. How “good” are the best schools in Africa, compared to the best in Europe or USA?

STEVEN SHAMES: Most of the best schools in Africa do not have the equipment that a school in a ghetto neighborhood has. Another issue is curriculum. Unfortunately much of education in Uganda is done by rote learning. Two of our students, here on a speaking tour, visited schools in The Bronx and Brooklyn. They thought they were incredible, when in fact, it was not so good compared to suburban schools. They later visited some of the best prep schools and suburban schools.