Glenmont native recognized for her charitable work in Africa
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then at Kekeli, Inc. in the African nation of Ghana, its value can also be measured in hope and opportunity.
That’s where Glenmont native Carrie Brown has been doing charitable work for much of the past eight years and founding Kekeli, a school where she teaches children photography. She was recently awarded the Capital Area Council of Churches James and Pearl Campbell Peace and Justice Award for her work.
The award is named after a Methodist couple who were active in social justice issues, including protests and educational activities. They also chaired the council’s Department of International Affairs, which later became the Peace and justice Committee.
Today, the council recognizes one or more persons annually who embodies their spirit as a friend of peace and justice. Brown was nominated for the award by her pastor, Rev. Harlan Ratmeyer of The First Reformed Church of Bethlehem.
Ratmeyer said after reading about the award, suggesting Brown was an easy decision.
`Clearly, Carrie is drawn there, and when she talks to other people about what she is doing, I just watch the energy pour out of her,` he said. `She started out with photography, she continues with that, but I think shes much more interested in the people and their needs.`
Brown’s first trip to the Republic of Ghana was in 2002 as a volunteer with a nonprofit group, when she also did work for her master of fine arts degree by doing photography there. She knew immediately she was destined to return.
`I was interested in Africa in general, and being a photographer and documenting the traditions, the people,` she said.
A few years after her initial trip, she returned with donations in hand for a longer stay and planted the roots of Kekeli. Her most recent trip there lasted three years, and she just left town for another two-year expedition.
`It’s hard to be away for so long, but the work is really rewarding, and it’s hard to come back from Ghana as well,` Brown said.
She stays with here parents, Edward and Mary Jane Brown, while in town.
`Kekeli` means `daylight` in Ewe, one of several local languages. It speaks not only to the light needed for photography, but for the opportunity it can bring to many of the children the organization benefits.
Helping the students learn to take pictures develops motor skills and helps Brown develop learning games for use in the classroom. Something as simple as attaching a name to a picture of a local plant can make a big difference.
`Many of them don’t know how to read or write, so we’re trying to get the students familiar with recognizing words and names,` Brown said.
Those who are gifted photographers might even go on to make a living of it. The school is investigating a micro-loan program where students can purchase equipment by paying back the cost over time.
Many of the children who attend the school are orphans, cured lepers or have special needs. In Ghana, organizations like Kekeli will be the only help these children can get.
`Anyone with a disability`there’s such a stigma attached to those things they’re often ignored,` Brown said, adding that breaking that stigma is part of the school’s mission.
`It really has people in the community looking at what they can do differently,` she said.
While Kekeli has its own offices, Brown also travels to area schools to teach photography to children there.
Now, she’s working with these students on projects for the 2012 Cultural Olympics in London, where their work on local storytelling will hopefully be featured.
The funds and equipment that make Kekeli possible come from donations here in the states. For more information or to make a donation, visit www.kekeliinc.com.
Checks may be sent to Kekeli, Inc., c/o The First Reformed Church of Bethlehem, 38 Church Road, Selkirk 12158.“