The unexpected opportunity to travel to Haiti fell into my lap last year. I’ve always had a passion for travel, so I packed my bags. I was invited by a local non-profit to photograph the children benefitting from the work of the organization. Before I left for Haiti, I looked up images of the country and wasn’t happy with what I saw. It was discouraging. The images painted a grim picture. But when I arrived, it was clear to me that Haiti is a beautiful country, full of kind and joyous people. I think going to a country like Haiti without a travel partner, and putting my trust in people I’d never met was one of the bravest things I’ve ever done, and also the most eye-opening. During my time in Haiti, I learned what it means to live for a greater cause. There’s definitely a lot of suffering in the world, but trusting your vision and using your gift to shed light is a beautiful thing. In doing so, it’s possible to find your true potential.
![](https://test.passionpassport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/IMG_1442-600x600.jpg)
![](https://test.passionpassport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/IMG_1480-600x600.jpg)
Still, I witnessed a level of poverty in Haiti that I had not seen since my childhood in Nigeria. When I was growing up, I bore witness to this type of poverty. That past experience allowed me to see past it and connect with the kids I met. Most of my time in Haiti was spent with the children that the organization worked with. I loved getting to know them, seeing how they interacted with each other, and with me. Some of them loved the camera! Through my time there and the photographs I took, I witnessed their happiness and joy. Despite having been through so much, they carried so much happiness. Using hand motions and the camera lens, I was able to communicate with them although I do not speak French and they do not speak English.
![](https://test.passionpassport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/IMG_1491-600x400.jpg)
![](https://test.passionpassport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/IMG_2052-600x400.jpg)
I want to make sure that I represent the people and places I photograph with dignity. I don’t want to produce images of poverty that, in their genuine attempt to help people, simultaneously denigrate them. I want to visit less fortunate countries, and photograph the people I meet there in the most beautiful and empowering way.
My goal was to show the children’s humanity, not their circumstances, in their portraits. The people I photograph are not props, and they should not be pitied. They deserve to be captured with as much dignity as anyone else. These children are little human beings. I wanted to respect their space and their boundaries.
![](https://test.passionpassport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/IMG_2255-600x600.jpg)
![](https://test.passionpassport.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/IMG_2285-600x600.jpg)
My work with the children in Haiti made me want to start an organization that teaches children how to use cameras and take photographs in developing countries. I believe that photography is a way to capture the beauty and life in countries that are looked down upon.