Supplied
Humanitarian photographer Helen Manson is on a speaking tour around the North Island.
Helen Manson travels the world photographing people who are struggling against poverty and injustice.
A multi-award winning humanitarian photographer and storyteller, Manson has documented famine, refugee settlements, post-war environments, child sponsorship, micro-enterprise, trauma counselling and disaster zones.
This month Manson, from Auckland, is touring eight North Island cities promoting the work of aid and development organisation, Tearfund.
Tearfund chief executive Ian McInnes said Manson’s images really bring to life the joy that is found in the little moments amongst the hardship and suffering faced by people in some of the most difficult situations and places on earth.
READ MORE:
* Investors give up returns to fight human trafficking
* Human sex trafficking captured through the lens of Auckland photographer
“Tearfund is blessed to have such a great talent working for the organisation who can bring awareness about the desperate plight of people, but also show how Kiwis are playing a part in changing lives and bringing hope to what seem to be hopeless situations.”
In her career Manson has travelled to more than 35 countries including Iraq, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lebanon, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia and India, documenting global humanitarian issues for charities and not-for-profit organisations all over the world.
The Celebration of Humanity tour features some of Manson’s favourite images and the heart-warming stories of the people behind her lens.
Supplied
Manson in Indonesia photographing mums and their babies in Tearfund’s Mums and Bubs programme, which cares for mothers from pregnancy through to the child’s first birthday.
Some of the images she is featuring on the tour were taken on Ghana’s Lake Volta, which is a hub of child trafficking for the local fishing industry.
Manson went there to see how Tearfund’s child sponsorship programme, through partner Compassion International, was helping to prevent child trafficking and also giving trafficking survivors a new life and the opportunity of an education.
Another of Manson’s favourite assignments in recent years was to document the journey of three Ugandan mums from their pregnancy through to the birth of their child and she returned to see them turn five.
All the children were part of Tearfund’s child sponsorship programme in Uganda. This event will be promoting Tearfund’s child sponsorship programme. Another way event-goers can support Tearfund’s work is to buy one of Manson’s stunning images.
Some of the content shared during the evening will contain reference to sensitive and emotionally challenging topics such as sexual violence, which some people may find distressing.
Manson will be in New Plymouth at City West Church on Poplar Grove, in Whaler’s Gate, on Wednesday, May 10 and in Palmerston North on May 11 at Christian Community Church in Takaro. Tickets $5.
