Thank-you to all of you who left comments on my recent post about the feature from my trip to Tanzania in Grace Ormonde Wedding Style Magazine. I got a couple comments asking about how taking photos of models in dresses relates to raising awareness about the need for water in third world countries. I appreciate that this is a valid question and wanted to write a follow-up post to make the connection clearer. I feel like I did a good job sharing my heart for this project last July but for those of you who weren't reading at that time, the recent post probably didn't have the needed context to make the connection clear.
Thirst Relief International is an organization that was started by a wedding photographer -- Jim Davis-Hicks. Because of his involvement and the involvement of well-known photographer Mike Colon in this issue, Thirst Relief has become a well-known organization within the wedding photography industry. Wedding photographers are the largest financial supporters of Thirst Relief and as a community have spread passion for this cause. Jim and Mike put their heads together and wanted to find a way to use their relationships and network to spread this passion and support of Thirst Relief to the whole wedding industry at large. Grace Ormonde and top designers Ines Di Santo, Amy Michelson, Adele Wechsler, Angel Sanchez and Jenny Packham collaborated with Mike and Jim to help make this vision a reality. By featuring an article in an high profile international magazine, the issue of the desparate need for clean drinking water has reached even wider audiences. Awareness is key because what we can give to make a difference is very simple....money. Thirst Relief can provide a clean water source for less than $5 per person. How easy is that? You and I have the ability to make a HUGE impact.
Besides using the networks and relationships at our disposal to raise awarness, these photos of gowns will directly raise money for the cause. Each of the designers has agreed to donate a portion of their proceeds for each of these gowns to Thirst Relief. So hopefully brides will see the images and go shopping! How awesome is it that just by choosing a particular gown for your wedding you could be changing lives?
The children that we met on our trip and who we photographed are indeed being "used" as faces to tell the story of the immense need. But they are also children who have been directly helped by Thirst Relief. Each of the two orphanages that we visited houses bio-sand filters made in the Thirst Relief workshop in Tanzania. In one of my blog posts this summer I was able to tell a story of one of these children whose life has done a 180 because her need has been met. So these children were fitting and willing participants in our attempt to put a face to the need and raise even more awareness over here in the states.
In addition to all of this, the 15 of us who traveled to Tanzania and witnessed the need first hand are forever changed. We are all committed to continuing to share the message and sound the cry for help in whatever ways we can. With that being said, please take a moment to make the imact YOU are able to make. Click here to visit the Thirst Relief website and make a donation today. With just $5 you can save a life.
And if you missed it the first time and are interested in reading even more about how I was changed and what we experienced this summer, click on the links below:
Headed to Africa!
Dubai
Hope at a Tanzanian Orphanage
Bagamoyo Tanzania
Getting Our Hands Dirty
Delivering Life-Saving Water Filters
Cute Tanzanian Orphans
Accommodations & Transportation
Trees on Safari
Tanzanian Safari Part 1
Tanzanian Safari Part 2
Thirst Relief International is an organization that was started by a wedding photographer -- Jim Davis-Hicks. Because of his involvement and the involvement of well-known photographer Mike Colon in this issue, Thirst Relief has become a well-known organization within the wedding photography industry. Wedding photographers are the largest financial supporters of Thirst Relief and as a community have spread passion for this cause. Jim and Mike put their heads together and wanted to find a way to use their relationships and network to spread this passion and support of Thirst Relief to the whole wedding industry at large. Grace Ormonde and top designers Ines Di Santo, Amy Michelson, Adele Wechsler, Angel Sanchez and Jenny Packham collaborated with Mike and Jim to help make this vision a reality. By featuring an article in an high profile international magazine, the issue of the desparate need for clean drinking water has reached even wider audiences. Awareness is key because what we can give to make a difference is very simple....money. Thirst Relief can provide a clean water source for less than $5 per person. How easy is that? You and I have the ability to make a HUGE impact.
Besides using the networks and relationships at our disposal to raise awarness, these photos of gowns will directly raise money for the cause. Each of the designers has agreed to donate a portion of their proceeds for each of these gowns to Thirst Relief. So hopefully brides will see the images and go shopping! How awesome is it that just by choosing a particular gown for your wedding you could be changing lives?
The children that we met on our trip and who we photographed are indeed being "used" as faces to tell the story of the immense need. But they are also children who have been directly helped by Thirst Relief. Each of the two orphanages that we visited houses bio-sand filters made in the Thirst Relief workshop in Tanzania. In one of my blog posts this summer I was able to tell a story of one of these children whose life has done a 180 because her need has been met. So these children were fitting and willing participants in our attempt to put a face to the need and raise even more awareness over here in the states.
In addition to all of this, the 15 of us who traveled to Tanzania and witnessed the need first hand are forever changed. We are all committed to continuing to share the message and sound the cry for help in whatever ways we can. With that being said, please take a moment to make the imact YOU are able to make. Click here to visit the Thirst Relief website and make a donation today. With just $5 you can save a life.
And if you missed it the first time and are interested in reading even more about how I was changed and what we experienced this summer, click on the links below:
Headed to Africa!
Dubai
Hope at a Tanzanian Orphanage
Bagamoyo Tanzania
Getting Our Hands Dirty
Delivering Life-Saving Water Filters
Cute Tanzanian Orphans
Accommodations & Transportation
Trees on Safari
Tanzanian Safari Part 1
Tanzanian Safari Part 2
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