Five students at Tamesna School were chosen to lead groups to take a series of photos of their lives. Cooper brought cameras that were issued to them for a day. Halela, Almoustapha, Ahmed, Aghali and Ibrahim took their cameras and were off for the day.
When they turned in their cameras the next day, Cooper selected the best and these were projected for the students and their families that night.
When we arrived for the projection party, the students were singing and dancing the traditional Tuareg Tende. The girls sang a call and response, telling stories important in their lives. They sang about the new school and how some people had not wanted it to be built or the clinic opened, but the girls sang, “go ahead and object until you get tired… we students have all the school materials, are well fed, have medicines that we need and we are happy.”
Then Cooper set up the slide show where they all saw their own photos and the films of dancing that Benedicte had organized.
Fascinated with their own photos, the kids and their parents ask for a repeat.
Thanks to Cooper for devising this great program for the kids at Tamesna–how many nomad kids have ever had an opportunity like this.
Cooper did the most fabulous program . It was so surreal sitting between the clinic and the school at Tamensa watching the final pictures. It was like a “sitting” movie instead of a drive-in…..we brought chairs and blankets and sat outside with all the kids, parents, and anyone else that came. I could have watched it three times!
Great job by a great guy.
Linda Lamb
Thank you Linda! It was fun. Amazing and with such wonderful company!
Go Linda!–love your comments.