Casa Agape
Casa Agape is an orphanage located in Anapra, Juarez. It is located in one of the poorest areas of the city. There are about 60 children that go to Casa Agape to get fed and get help with homework. Casa Agape is currently under construction so the children can’t actually sleep there. They are expecting it to be finished soon so kids can sleep there.
Casa Agape gets help from the Juarez Orphans organization based out in Las Cruces. Thanks to them they now how a stove, refrigerator, roof, and a bathroom. They are slowly working in the orphanage to make it better.
A lot of the children that go to Casa Agape are orphans that either live with their grandparents or other family members. A lot of them can’t afford to go to school and just stay at Casa Agape either playing or some other activities.
None of the people that help out get paid. It’s all volunteer work. Ladies from the community prepare food for the kids since early in the morning. The government recently gave Casa Agape food so they can provide it to the community. They received bags of rice, beans, and soups. There is also a team from Juarez Orphans that goes once a month to mentor the girls. The team does activities with the girls teaching them how to work in a team, art, and other things.
Casa Agape is definitely helping the children to strive in life. Not only do they provide a hot meal but they are taught to respect others and that no matter where they come from they can achieve anything. Olga is the director of the orphanage and she was an orphan growing up. This is the main reason why she started this. Many of the children that grew up in this orphanage are now older and are professionals. If you wish to learn more about Casa Agape and other orphanages in Juarez visit http://www.juarezorphans.com/
About Author
My hat is off to you for trying something hard and something important and something universal: Children in distress, humanitarian giving and effort, goodness in the middle of badness.
I would like to see more of the volunteers (the Santa Hat lady is a good start), the givers, interacting with staff and kids. I would like to see some better light on the portraits, later -much later- afternoon light when it’s low and it comes into that room and turns it warm color, when the shadows are longer than the highlights. National Geo style.
Facts aren’t enough, you have to make images and images require you to use Light, angle, distance to subject, etc. Right?
I think another strong thing to do would be to find one of those “professionals” that have made good and interview them and make strong images of them. They are the :”after” the reason for the orphanage. No? So, there again, some people other than the kids can tell the story of this kid’s place.
So, Analu, you have more to do. This is a strong start. Don’t let this project stop just because the class has ended.
You have more to do.