Sunday, September 1, 2013

Those who educate children well are more to be honored than those who produce them; for these only gave them life, those the art of living well

From right: Nimo, Zahra, Ubah, Nimo II, Deqa, Suad and Zulekha

Powerful words by Aristotle, which speaks to my experience touring an orphanage in Hargeysa, Somaliland this summer. It was just two years ago, on September 2011, when I started this blog as an outlet for my love of travel and photography. Its been a struggle to find a meaningful focus that motivates me to turn this little blog into something that not just speaks to the reader/visitor, but also to me. I just did not see the point in posting mere pictures of my travels, a privilege few of us in the world can boast about, when many young women and men in 2/3 of the globe are struggling to access basic needs. So in the spirit of my blog's anniversary, I will be focusing more on what I find politically and globally engaging and interesting. Whether its my fieldwork in Africa or upcoming mini documentaries on Somaliland child labor, primary education (girls education in particular), I would like to profile a world, few of us in the West are privileged to witness and hopefully, a voice for the many who cannot speak for themselves. So, I hope those of you who have enjoyed my blog or follow it, can join me in this new journey of mine. Don't worry thou, I will still post fun and interesting pictures I take, there are plenty of architectural and historical shots from the Middle East coming up in the next few months.