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as a nomadic photographer i'm exploring life in societies around the world. i've been living in tokyo for some time, in cape town, south africa, and i'm constantly having itchy feet. my destination for the next years should become mozambique, where i am planning to start OUTROSOLHOS, a mentoring programme to train and promote women photographers.





i had already spent some time in mozambique, researching and photographing on architecture and post-colonial urban transitions. a few months ago i was invited to participate in photofesta 2006 in maputo, a festival of photography hosted by the small but vibrant mozambican association of photography with it's powerful tradition in social documentary. it was an intense event, with exhibition openings, inspiring discussions, interesting lectures, and round tables with photographers, sociologists and historians from all over the world. in my whole life i never talked so much about photography.

one day i asked lizete, the young woman taking care of PR for photofesta, if she was also taking pictures. she said no, but she always wanted to if only she had a camera. i borrowed her my digital as long i was there, and she was hooked immediately, photographing friends, family, home, street life, an artist's workshop, the portuguese prime minister on a visit… amazing pictures. we discussed her photos and those of others, got deeper into technical features, and day for day she returned with more images. all she wants now is to become a professional.

i was wondering, aren't or weren't there any other mozambican women in photography? when i asked around, people looked a me and said, uh… no! meanwhile i heard of one or two women photographers. but their situation seems to be so precarious that they don't have the means to work let alone publish their images.
so for decades of struggle for independence, revolution, war, and peace, life in mozambique has been documented almost completely through male eyes – which is not necessarily a bad thing. it's only that up to this day women have no visual voice to express their own point of view in the media and elsewhere. i guess they would have a lot to say…

that's how i came up with OUTROSOLHOS, an initiative to enable mozambican women to become professional photographers and play a visible role in their country's media and civil society.

now, back in berlin, i'm busy researching and learning about NGO's, LFA, funding, foundations, pestering countless people with questions. i wrote a concept and try to find partner organizations in mozambique and abroad. i'm a photographer, first of all, so this is all news to me, and pretty exiting. i'm feeling my way forward but i'm getting encouragement from many sides. i'm confident – OUTROSOLHOS will happen.

if you want to find out more about OUTROSOLHOS, or if you have any comments or advice for me, i'd love to hear from you.





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