When I first read this article in Fast Company Design (Why Designers Need to Stop Feeling Sorry for Africa) my reason for reading was purely because the title annoyed me. If nothing else, this article is brilliant just for its title alone! After reading through the article quite a few times, and really looking into the heart of what the author’s argument is about, I think I really agree with what he is saying.

Take, for example, the prevalence of poverty porn. We can all picture Sally Struthers on a late-night commercial with emaciated children that you can save for $10/month. This is poverty porn at its worst (or best depending on how you look at it). In fact, one of the significant challenges that R29 has faced with some of our Africa-focused clients is the volume of poverty porn among similar organizations.

‘What’s the big deal,’ some might say? People need to be moved to act, and moving images, design and media can really be effective means that justify a better end for the poor and vulnerable. Someone would see an image that moves them to give and that gift provides a better quality of life for the image-bearer.

I’ve spent quite a bit of time in Africa and every time I leave a slum, I can’t help but marvel about how truly innovative and ingenious our African brothers and sisters really are. From toys made from trash to home-made water-purification units; the poor and marginalized people of this world deserve much more credit than we often give them. And yet, it would be really easy to take a picture of one of these brilliant African’s and make him look desperate.

Instead, let’s look at the assets that are already present and walk alongside our African friends toward a new day of prosperity and peace. There are many ‘good news’ stories coming out of Africa. I hope that these begin to outweigh the glut of poverty porn that is commonplace in today’s world.

Here’s my hope: what if the world began to view the poor as innovators, entrepreneurs, and future leaders – this perspective swings the dignity pendulum back to the complete opposite side and paints an entirely different picture of the reality of our world’s poor. This is where we need to be, and I believe that by working together (especially as designers) this could be reality. So thanks to a blog title that got me all riled up, I felt compelled to write and share about a shift in perspective. At least it’s something for us all to think about.

Shame on us for stealing one of the few assets they may have left: dignity.

Thanks to Justin Narducci from Life In Abundance for having an ongoing dialogue (the last 5 years) with me and Rule29 on how to “see” the poor and the amazing complexities of Africa. And for being the co-writer of this post.

Not only did we decide to travel through Kibera that night, we chose to carry large film equipment, including a giant battery powered LED light (which I happened to be holding over my head). Standing out is an understatement. I’ll admit. My heart was beating fast. We moved fast through a number of alleys and streets and eventually came upon a path that led to the train tracks that ran through the slums. The tracks were elevated. As we walked along the tracks and began to head down the other side towards our friend’s home, I became captivated by the rooftops I now saw. They were painted. They were mesmerizing. They were art?

Not until I returned home and stumbled randomly upon this TED talk, did I realize this was the artwork of famed French artist JR. Not every photo seen above was still present, but enough “eyes” that caught my attention. In the midst of some of the most intense moments of my trip, I paused.

Is this not the hope of good art? To pause. To wonder.

JR’s ambitions are nothing short than changing the world through the art of beauty, juxtaposition, and the absurd. And for this… he has chosen to celebrate humanity via a familiar craft, in unlikely spaces, and with subjects that matter. But after listening to his story (that one TED Prize 2011), I think the bigger question is…

What will you/I use to change the world?

There are times in your life when things just feel like they all fall in place. And for that moment you feel like you are being smiled upon. Exactly a week ago today, Rule29 was able to premiere our second documentary, which we made with Wonderkind Studios and Life In Abundance. This film was about extreme poverty, its complexities, and its depth. Almost a year ago we flew to Nairobi to make a film about LIA’s microfinance initiative in some of Africa’s largest slums. All during the film and on our way home, we were grappling, – I would say struggling, in fact – with what our normal was compared to the beautiful people we just had an honor to meet and interact with for a week of our life. And, because of that struggle, we decided to change the film and focus on the complexity of poverty.

As the film was about to start, I was overwhelmed with thoughts of people not liking it, or the film not making sense, or whatever other ridiculous, anxiety-filled thoughts flooded my mind. As I walked up on stage, my butterflies went away and were replaced by a growing excitement. Here it was, this great piece of art that so many people put hundreds of hours into, and we were about to share it.

After introducing it, the lights dimmed, I sat down, and the movie started on that larger than life fifty-foot movie screen. And then it happened…. I was back. Back at the beautifully horrible place halfway across the world. My heart became heavy and tears started welling in my eyes. Could it be? Did this place actually exist? Could I do more? How can I help this “normal” for my brothers and sisters be different? How? As I let the film take me back, I reflected on all that went on during the time that we were there. I remembered the smell, the condition of the environment, the reality of it all, but also the hope that was around every corner.

The impact of film and story is an amazingly powerful medium. As I along with the rest of the team at Rule29 work hard at becoming better and better at it, I’m always thinking, How can we make this world a better place? Isn’t that something we should all strive to do? I think it is – do you?

As the movie closed and the credits rolled, I was relieved to walk back onstage greeted with applause, and as the rest of the crew came joined me onstage, again I was overcome with emotion. What we do, and what we can all do, can be so good. I’m honored to be a part of this work, but more than anything I’m honored to help people engage in conversation that can produce action. Action that can influence change, the kind of change that can help rid the world of extreme poverty. The kind of change that can bring justice and empowerment to those most marginalized in our world.

I want – no, I need – to be a part of that work. I’m so grateful to all of the people that came out to the premiere. If you missed it and would like to set up a screening, buy a copy of the movie or watch the trailer please visit: www.thisismynormal.com

I hope this is the year you become a catalyst for change in whatever way you can. We will be talking more about this over the coming months, so please come back. I also want to give a special thanks to Brian and Jose and Wonderkind for all that you do for us, and for Life In Abundance for allowing us the privilege of helping tell your story.

PS: Extra special thanks to FBCG, the film and R29 crew, our volunteers, Floodlight Design, The Prop and Arcada Theater for making the premiere happen and spreading the word.

If we’re social media friends, you’ve probably heard us talking about this for a few months now… Alongside partners Wonderkind Studios and Life in Abundance, we are (finally) premiering our second documentary, “This is My Normal.” It will be Thursday night, April 7th at the historical and prestigoius Arcada Theater in St. Charles, IL. The screening is open to the public with a suggested minimum donation of $15 for entry. In addition, there will be a Q & A immediately following the screening with the directors, producers, and crew.

So, what is the film about?

“This is My Normal” explores two primary questions: “What is poverty?” and “What is normal?” These questions are explored through the stories and imagery of the slums of Nairobi, Kenya. In particular, the film focuses on the people of the Mathare Valley – a section of the Mathare slums, often referred to as the “Forgotten Valley.”

The Mathare Valley is a place where the local water supply (the river) has become the slum’s waste system, trash system, and playground for the young. The Valley is dependent upon the water; however, it is the slum’s most dangerous asset – threatening both children and homes with its ability to rise with an untimely rain. While the homes, unemployment, and health concerns are an embodiment of the (global) poverty issues, it is the “mindset” that is the gravest of concerns.

Reality is… that unclean water, (incredibly) low wages, and poor health are simply “normal” to the slums. Unfortunately, this way of life has become acceptable, and “acceptable” is the greatest hurdle to overcome.

Ironically, the presence of countless NGOs and sporadic visits from the West are often a big piece of the problem. “This is My Normal” explores the abundance of “quick fixes” out there and how they simply contribute to what is acceptable and normal. A reality, when discovered, uncovers the utter complexity of poverty – how we ALL play a role in its perpetual nature.

Fortunately, there are many who understand this historical reality and its connection to the “great divide” between the rich and the poor. And their proposing something so simple, yet so drastic and complex: change the way people think – the way Kenyan’s see the world.

Although it’s harder work and a longer process, those that have participated in helping Africa rethink their “normal”, have experienced hope midst the despair. It s an idea. An idea with results. And an idea “worth spreading.”

Why?

In many ways, we have realized that poverty is a very complex issue and we are often left scratching our heads with what do. We simply want to start a conversation on these matters.

To join in the conversation, don’t forget to confirm your attendance via the “This is My Normal” event page and show up April 7th at 7pm at the Arcada Theater. The official film page can be found at: www.thisismynormal.com

—

Rule29 was honored with the opportunity to create the 2nd annual report for Life In Abundance. LIA is helping to rewrite the tragic stories that typically come out of Sub-Saharan Africa. Through the organization’s work, new stories are emerging: communities are learning how to take care of themselves, locals are learning new skills, children are attending new schools, micro-financing programs are enabling individuals to start businesses, and communities are gaining the resources to take care of each other and reduce the spread of an uneducated populace. All in all, LIA is empowering change in the only way that matters (in our opinion) – through the creation of a holistic, sustainable model that brings permanent change to the communities affected.

This 2009 annual report, entitled “Empowering Change”, features articles and stories from 4 countries and surrounding areas that highlighted the struggles of each country, as well as powerful stories about incredible individuals that live there. Showing the actual empowerment of the surrounding communities was key in creating a successful piece. Through compelling stories and vivid photography (taken by our good friend Brian MacDonald), a very successful and enlightening piece was created.

For the cover, stylistically, we wanted to draw the viewer in with an incredible shot of the slums, partially from a distance. The large type that is rising from the horizon line was chosen to simulate the initiative to actually empower change within these communities. Throughout the annual there are 3 stories that feature hand written type on rough paper texture in order to remind us that these stories are coming from real people in the slums.

Life In Abundance now uses this powerful piece to highlight some of the remarkable work they do in Africa to donors, and their supporters.

How do you empower change?

This past April, both Justin Ahrens and myself, alongside our friends Brian MacDonald (Wonderkind Studios), Von Glitschka, Kelsey Timmerman, Bruce McEvoy and the Life in Abundance team, had a chance to shoot our second documentary project in Africa entitled “This is My Normal.” This film explores two primary questions: “What is poverty?” and “What is normal?” These questions are explored through the stories and imagery of the slums of Nairobi, Kenya.  In particular, the film focuses on the people of the Mathare Valley – a section of the Mathare slums, often referred to as the “Forgotten Valley.”

The Mathare Valley is a place where the local water supply (the river) has become the slum’s waste system, trash system, and playground for the young.  The Valley is dependent upon the water; however, it is the slum’s most dangerous asset – threatening both children and homes with its ability to rise with an untimely rain.  And while the homes, unemployment, and health concerns are an embodiment of the (global) poverty issues, it is the “mindset” that is the gravest of concerns.

Reality is… that unclean water, (incredibly) low wages, and poor health are simply “normal” to the slums.  Unfortunately, this way of life has become acceptable.  And “acceptable” is the greatest hurdle to overcome.

Ironically, the presence of countless NGOs and sporadic visits from the West are often a big piece of the problem.  “This is My Normal” explores the abundance of “quick fixes” out there and how they simply contribute to what is acceptable and normal.  A reality, when discovered, uncovers the utter complexity of poverty – how we ALL play a role in its perpetual nature.

Fortunately, there are many who understand this historical reality and its connection to the “great  divide” between the rich and the poor.  And their proposing something so simple, yet so drastic and complex:  change the way people think – the way they see the world.

Although it’s harder work and a longer process, those that have participated in helping Africa rethink their “normal”, have experienced hope midst the despair.   It’s an idea.  An idea with results.  And an idea “worth spreading.”

—

The following is a look “behind the scenes” of the production of the film. Special Thanks to Sleeping at Last and Jimmy Eat World for contributing music for the film. For more information on Life in Abundance, who is currently helping fellow Kenyans rethink their “normal,” please visit their website at: www.liaint.org. The documentary will be screening in the upcoming months and available for purchase in March.

I’m on my way home from the slums of Nairobi, Kenya after working on our second documentary film. I’m exhausted, and my head is continually spinning. To put it simply, as with every Africa trip so far, I will not be the same. I was hoping to post every day while there, but with limited web access and two great writers, Bob Davidson and author Kelsey Timmerman on the trip, I decided to simply photo blog (via Facebook) and spend the majority of my time trying to run the crew as best as possible and fully soak in the experience.

It’s hard to explain or express what an experience this trip to Africa has been. Filming a documentary in the slums is bound to change you, but I was not expecting this. I had been to Kibera (Africa’s 2nd largest slum) and Mathare (Nairobi’s oldest) before, but not up close and personal.

We spent seven straight days trying to get to know the slum residents, seeing what they see, walking, touching and smelling their environment. The location was different than our last documentary project (This is My Home), but sadly many of the same issues exist, all of which are simply not right. Dangerous living structures, no roads, unhealthy water, no sanitation, no waste removal, lack of education, no health care, crime, fear, HIV/AIDS, loss of hope, and the vulnerability of children to simply name a few. It was a rare day when you didn’t turn your face to cry for a few minutes.

The issues of the slums are so complex – government corruption, health concerns, religious culture, commerce, structural issues, etc… And the fact of the matter is that us Westerners tend to think we actually live in an Extreme Home Makeover world. If we build this, or fund that project, all things get fixed and fall in place. But that way of thinking is simply not accurate, and it inevitably continues to add to the issues. The reality is that we need to help battle the biggest monster of all: generations of slum residents with mindset that slum life and its living conditions are acceptable. But, hopelessness cannot be an option.

However, it was a feeling that continued to surface wherever we went. Mathare Valley (a section of the Mathare slum) is without question the worst place I have ever been. With a contaminated river, treacherous pathways, raw sewage, horrible living conditions, and water not safe to drink – it’s simply an awful place to try to survive.

I will be sharing more stories and details related to the slums leading up to our documentary premiere (this Fall); however, I will leave you with a few facts, thoughts, and stories from this week:

- Approx 80% of the citizens of Nairobi live in some sort of slum dwelling.

+ Everyone likes to be called by name, no matter where you live.

- A local health worker visited a house to check in on a sick child. When entering the house she found the 6 year old making a meal for his siblings, because their mother was dead in the next room.

+ A child’s smile and joyous laugh is a beautiful thing.

- Many African families in the slums try to have more than one child due to the likelihood of one dying.

+ Taking time to hold, hug or touch a child’s hand can change their day…and yours.

- 1 meal a day is a good day, but the meal is typically the same thing over and over and over and over…

+ A life without dreams is not a life but an existence.

- During the rainy season people, mainly children, run the risk of being swept away due to inadequate infrastructure between the river and homes.

+ The poor are worth our time, prayers, and resources, and we need to SEE them.

- Without money for health care, parents often give their children local or herbal painkillers in order to help their child cope with the pain instead of getting adequate care. Usually the kids just get used to or live with whatever health issue they have, which in turn can be something that kills them.

I do not write these things for any other reason than that they are real in our world right now. And even for the most marginalized communities there is hope. NGO’s like Life In Abundance are working to help change the mindset of the poor communities they work with so they feel they are worth breathing the same air we do. They are worth joy. They are worth living a life as abundantly as possible. They believe, as do I, that a changed mind is key – a changed mind gives you the hope to dream again.

I hope you consider supporting the film, or simply watching when it’s ready to premiere this Fall. Even better yet, is there something you can do to help the poor in your neighborhood?

PS: I would like to thank the efforts of the entire team, especially those you may want to follow or read their blogs:

Brian MacDonald – Web, Twitter
Kelsey Timmerman – Blog, Twitter
Von Glitshka – Web, Twitter
Bob Davidson – Blog, Twitter
Life In Abundance – Blog, Twitter
Tony Narducci – Web

Last year we filmed our first documentary with @liaint and @macdonaldphoto called This Is My Home. It was a challenging, heartbreaking and beautiful journey. Our combined efforts helped raise over $300,000 for LIA’s project with the street kids in Ethiopia’s capital. This year the bar has been raised. We have been asked to go to one of the most challenging slum areas in the world and will be spending 8-10 days telling the story of a poverty that shouldn’t exist anywhere (here are some thoughts from my first trip to these slums Mathare and Kibera two years ago). This year the Life In Abundance USA director has gone before us to help line up the access and various items needing coordination. He recently sent me a note to share with the team, from which I’m sharing an excerpt with you. I couldn’t write for you what is ahead as well as he could, please read and keep the team in your thoughts from April 25-May 5.

/// Real and Raw ///
by Justin Narducci, Director of Life In Abundance

To be honest, it is easy to say that the poor will always be poor and there is nothing that can be done about it. This is especially true, if you see the tremendous needs that are present in Africa in light of and the tremendous amount of resources that have been poured into the continent over the last twenty years. At the very same time, this disposition also comforts those of us who are looking for a self-justifying way of not being involved with the plight of the poor, though few of us would probably admit to it.

Even me, as I walk the streets of Nairobi with my wife and children over the past few days, my gut reaction is indifference and apathy rather than compassion and grace. Naturally, I want to walk as fast as I can through these ‘uncomfortable’ alleyways with the implied purpose of ‘getting my family out of there as fast as possible’. ‘These streets are dangerous,’ I further reason, ‘these cars could easily hit and kill my toddlers’, or ‘these men could easily abduct my wife and do who knows what to her’ are the thoughts raging through my head. My body sweats, my heart pounds, my alertness seemingly suffocates any form of rationalization. This still happens to me and I have been working among the world’s poor for the past five years!

Whether you are someone who, from the comforts of our suburban lifestyle, have relegated poverty to a broad ‘issue that just cant be turned around’, or you are someone who feels threatened when encountering the poor in a personal way, I’m here to confess that I’m guilty of both of these feelings. Over the past few years, however, I have learned a very important lesson: the way that we feel is simply not reality.

This statement will resonate with anyone who has felt ‘fat in these pants’ when the reality is not such. Or, this same is true of the golfer who made a dramatic swing change that ‘feels so different’ but in reality looks exactly the same as it used to! Our feelings can be deceptive in light of reality. Our feelings can also lead us to reason with faulty logic.

Think back to the first paragraph. If the feeling is true in your mind, then of course, you would logically not give any of your time, energy, resources, or even prayers because the ‘system is broken’ or at least it feels like it is broken. In the second example, you would simply disengage from the actual people who suffer on a daily basis from a grind of poverty – relegating them to an issue rather than a mother and her child that have a name, a place, and story just like my kids, my wife, my parents.

Now, imagine walking into Kibera with one of our LIA staff who work in this, sub-sahara Africa’s second largest slum. Can you begin to smell the burning trash, the raw sewage, and the body odor? You walk further and begin to feel overwhelmed by the filth that these children live in, the filth that lives on them. Your heart races as you suspect the men looking at your bag to steal or pick-pocket from you. You press on and are ushered into a small ‘church’ where the community has gather to present to you they ways in which they are serving their neighbors. You, subversively, start to think about how much money you have in your wallet to give to them, but instead you just listen. Children and their single mothers begin to disarm you as you hear their stories.

Tabby is a mother of a child who is eight. Tabby is infected with HIV and was regularly beaten by her husband because of her ‘status’ (which he ironically gave to her because of his promisuity) until she took her child away from that man. Without the support of family because of her disease, Tabby is forced to find the least expensive rent possible, which happens to be in the slums of Nairobi.

Tabby doesn’t want your pity and she doesn’t even want your money. Tabby wants a job so that she can pay for her son to go to elementary school. She wants access to medicine that will help her feel better and prolong her life, because she knows that it is out there, but she simply doesn’t have access to the systems that provide this medicine. She really doesn’t even want to leave the slum; she just wants to be able to repair her dwelling so that the rains don’t flood the floor where they sleep, every time that it rains.

At LIA, we believe that persistent poverty is the global injustice of our day. We also believe that there is a new way of serving some of the world’s poorest people/communities in a way that is empowering. We know that equipping local churches to meet the needs of their neighbors in a sustainable fashion is an effective way of truly meeting the comprehensive needs of the poor.

In the very same breath, we realize that the reality that most of us exist in is not based on much more than unexamined feelings that we have. The purpose of this film project is to bring the ‘people behind the issues’ to reality in a way that changes the perception you may have about the poor or the way that you choose to interact with ‘them’, accordingly. These slums are gritty, dirty, nasty places where neither you nor I would want to raise our children.

At the very same time, in this darkness, powerful rays of light are emerging. Seeds of hope have been planted. Injustices are being confronted by passionate local believers. Tabby and an entire group of 50 women now have the ability to provide for their children. Their children are going to school and are learning. They are sleeping in dry dwellings, which prevent them from regular sickness and infection. And, Tabby is able to take medicines that have her feeling better than she has ever felt before, though still infected.

Tabby’s story needs to be told and our purpose is to join LIA in humility, to tell that story. This journey will not be fun, but it will be an experience that changes me forever. It does every time that we serve alongside Tabby and her friends. Thank you for your support in telling this story. It is important.

PS: I hope to write the whole trip and post updates, if we don’t get any access I will post when I get back. Thank you for your support.

You might be, without even knowing it…

Can apathy toward injustice hold a person as a captive, unable to make a difference? Or maybe it’s not the apathy, but the lack of information of how to truly help those facing harsh realities of poverty-stricken lands. Well, we’re about to find out.

Our good pal, author Kelsey Timmerman, has been taken hostage by his publisher, because of his indifference to injustice in Kenya. Since being “detained” to raise money to go serve in Africa, Kelsey has learned about Kibera, the largest slum south of the Sahara. Over 1 million people live on the outskirts of Nairobi in a slum where the average person lives without clean drinking water (read: mixed with sewage as there is only one latrine for every 100 people), without education (especially girls), and subject to gang tyranny, among other sad factors.

It’s time to do something.

Kelsey is hoping to raise enough money to partner with LIA, MacDonald Photography, and yours truly, to film a documentary about what can really change the situation: holistic community development through micro-enterprise. By giving people at the grass-roots level not only the dignity but also the practical necessity of having a stable, respected occupation, communities can change tremendously for the good of all. Together, we are hoping that this documentary will make the everyday American not only aware of the situation in African slums, but also of how to realistically help that situation change.

Want to escape apathy and help now? You can donate to the cause, learn more, help decide Kelsey’s fate by voting, or tweet this:
“Don’t be Held Hostage by Apathy! http://bit.ly/ae2XCA #apathyhostage”

Plus, all donors’ names will appear in the film credits. If you can’t wait for the release this fall, check out This is My Home, our first documentary about the street children of Ethiopia, and how LIA is working to bring hope into a desperate situation there.

Oh, and big props to our friends at Wiley and Relevant for helping us get the word out!

Every once and a while we get the privilege to work with an organization whose main function is changing the world for the better. Life In Abundance is one of those organizations. About 2 years ago we were introduced to LIA and ever since meeting them we have been cheerleading their cause, encouraging everyone we know to get involved with this amazing African based non-for-profit. Reflecting over the past 2 years it’s a little overwhelming to see all that we have done together. From revamping their identity to the near completion of a documentary (available for public purchase soon!!) it has been an exciting journey to see where we have been and where we have come. In celebration of the work we have done together, we wanted to take a look back at the evolution of the LIA identity.

The U.S. branch of Life In Abundance initially contacted us for a rework of their 8 year old logo. They felt that their current look did not speak well to the American donor and needed a mark that communicated hope and transformation and ideally also worked in Africa. They did like the bird element in their logo and asked that we look at a bird as a possible solution.

The logo LIA eventually landed on is shown above on the right. The bird in flight carrying the olive branch speaks to several of their goals of communicating peace, hope and the ability to rise above circumstances.

Below are the materials created to extend this mark and continue to communicate who LIA is as an organization and represent the people they serve.

Identity System

We reworked the Life In Abundance website and helped them develop their social media strategy and set up (this included their blog, Twitter and Facebook) so that they were able to create a community of people interested in getting involved with the work they are doing in Northeast Africa.

Also needed was brochures and print materials that could be handed out or sent to people interested in LIA.

Brochure (Recently became available in Kenya as well)

Newsletter

Boxes for Change Curriculum

Banners created for speaking events

In 2008 Rule29 went with MacDonald Photography and LIA to the slums of Africa to see first hand the work and the people LIA was committed to. From this trip a book was created in an effort to tell LIA’s story and put faces on the individuals and communities LIA supports. For additional support of the book we created a microsite where people can learn more and purchase the book. Click here to check it out.

From this trip we also developed a reel which was used at speaking engagements to introduce LIA to people.

In 2009 36 Point The Reflex Blue Show joined the cause and invited 3 creatives (Justin Ahrens, Steve Hartman, and Christine Taylor) to their studio to collaborate in efforts to raise awareness and support for LIA. Below is the result of their efforts. Click here to hear the show. Click here to check out the poster microsite.

We continue to work with LIA, further developing their brand and message, hoping to reach more people and encouraging others to get involved in this great organization. No only have we been able to make a global impact, but it has changed the way we look at and approach our work. Projects to look forward to this next quarter are 2 firsts for LIA, an annual report and the LIA documentary (you can read more about our journey in making the film here). We are excited to share these with you so please stay tuned! And as always tell us what you think and share with us any questions you have.