Women don’t need to find a voice, they have a voice, and they need to feel empowered to use it, and people need to be encouraged to listen.
-Meghan Markle
Gender equality, representation, and access have been at the forefront of discussions during the last two years. Women have become more visualizable in many areas of the world, from women driving for the first time in Saudi Arabia to the first female vice president in the United States. 2020 and 2021 have tested women and society's expectations of women like never before.
Still, in many parts of the world, women are often silenced and sidelined in daily life and the workforce. With the rise of technology and social justice movements worldwide, women let their voices be heard loud and clear, sometimes for the first time.
According to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, Commission on the Status of Women, COVID-19 highlighted and exacerbated structural inequalities disproportionately affecting females ... emphasizing the need to do more to ensure universal gender equality.
One of the organizations empowering the voices of women is the non-profit social enterprise Lensational. Founded in 2013 on International Women’s Day, Lensational equips marginalized women in the developing world with digital cameras and photography training to tell their stories. Lensational is headquartered in London, with its largest and only active hubs in Hong Kong, Kenya, and Ghana.
Through photography, Lensational works to identify problems through which photography may provide a medium for change or a solution to a problem or issue in society by working with learning institutions, local Non-Government Organizations, and women’s groups. In addition, Lensational facilitates platforms through which the women they work with can share their stories by selling images and partnerships that bridge the knowledge gap between the women and related stakeholders.
Lensational has trained over 1,000 women in 23 countries. In 2019 Lensational worked with its women photographers to produce the book Our Shared Forest raising awareness of women's role in climate action. Our Shared Forest features the work of 27 women photographers from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, and China on the themes of nature, the environment, and climate change.
Along with producing photo books about pressing global issues, Lensational works with social programs and organizations to develop photo series, bringing light to different problems and issues affecting people worldwide. In addition, the organization has been featured in respected news outlets worldwide such as The Guardian, ABC News, Tedx, Mashable, and Huffington Post. Lensational is also the current United Nations award winner in the Sustainable Development Goals Storyteller category for its work towards gender equality and sustainability.
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Lensational Lydia Wanjiku Kibandi, who recently took over as CEO from founder Bonnie Chiu a gender equality advocate and a leading social impact and impact investing consultant. Ms. Wanjiku Kibandi is a writer, photojournalist, and skilled leader.
Organization of the Year
Lensational is Project Good Work's organization of the year because of its dedication to uplifting women, which is seen daily through its work training women and the images it presents to the world.
My Interview with Our Organization of the Year Lensational
How did Lensational begin?
Bonnie conducts a photography workshop with girls from Pakistan. ©Lensational/ Jonas Gottschalk
Our founder, Bonnie Chiu, founded Lensational because of the inspiration of two personal encounters. The first one was with her grandmother. Bonnie, at that time, was doing distance learning, and one of the ways that her grandmother, who could not read or write, would communicate with her was through pictures that she would take of the things that she found important and beautiful to her. She wanted Bonnie to experience things through these images. The second was in Istanbul where Bonnie took some pictures, and these Muslim girls approached her and asked her if she could take photos of them and teach them how to use a camera.
During that first interaction, Bonnie observed the girls' reactions while holding the camera for the first time. Later on, when they exchanged social media handles, Bonnie realized the narratives under each image differed from the conventional or stereotypical messages associated with Muslim women and girls. And she realized that photography is such a universal language. From there, she set out to think about how photography can transcend other types of boundaries that hold women and girls back from fully achieving their potential.
What are the Goals of your organization?
Our mission is to elevate women's voices, particularly from marginalized communities and minority groups in communities. Our key philosophy lies in storytelling. Number one, we aim to give women a safe medium of expression that transcends all cultural, language, or geographical barriers. The second goal is to cultivate a sense of agency amongst the girls and the women that we target, often eroded by the backgrounds they're coming from. The third goal is to equip the women with skills that can provide them with sustainable means of income. The goal is to challenge negative stereotypes associated with women and their communities and present them more dignifiedly. Last but not least is to create a pool of information that offers an accurate understanding of the issues affecting underrepresented women.
How many countries participate?
So we are currently in three key countries. In the past two years, we have decided to focus on three countries. So we are in Hong Kong, Ghana, and Kenya because we felt that there was a lot more sustainability in those three countries.
Lydia alongside young girls practicing to take pictures using a mobile phone during her first photography workshop in Mathare, kenya. ©Lensational/Eric Nehemiah
How are women trained?
There are different ways that a group of women can be introduced to Lensational; it can be a personal connection from somebody within the organization who feels that photography would be a good medium to advocate for their voices. The second way is a local NGO or a local group that approaches us. The third way is a funding partner who can come in and say that I'm interested in learning about a particular topic. Can you research and support that?
We go out to the women since we always try to train them in the areas they live. So whether that is in a classroom or outside in the field, some of the projects that we have here in Kenya, we always try to go to where they are because as we train them, they start to envision the stories they want to tell.
We have a selection process and criteria that we apply to ensure that the people who join are interested and will see the commitments through to the last stages of the program. Then we have the training, equipping them with the cameras. We have a mentorship phase where we support them and start to present them with opportunities to be supported financially to produce particular stories. Finally, there is the exit phase where some of them join the organization as mentors to train.
What is something that you hear continuously from women who participate in your programs?
One of the things I have observed across all of the programs is that it becomes this process of rediscovery for women. Many women come from backgrounds with strong inequalities where just the exploratory nature of photography allows them to reimagine their lives differently. It gives them a sense of hope to some extent, and I think that is one of the most remarkable or most satisfying things I have observed. At the beginning of the program, many of them are very shy, but they square their shoulders and are not afraid to ask questions by the end of the program.
You recently were in Kenya with the Maasai. Can you share any of the highlights?
Here in Kenya, we're discussing with the women how their perspectives and viewpoints on climate change can inform the development of plans and policies in national adaptation and planning. Then as we spoke about it, it occurred to me that many of them felt as though it was such a farfetched dream. They felt like their voices were too far from the policymakers and the people who needed to hear these stories. Eventually, one of the women, her name is Esther, said, never in her lifetime has anyone ever inquired what the impacts of the climate crisis could be on their land, much less on her personal life and like many other women.
She felt her voice is too far to go to those that make the decisions that directly or indirectly impact their lives. She hopes joining hands with Lensational can form a bridge between communities like hers and people in governing bodies.
I haven't been able to forget because it's reinforced in us at Lensational why we must continue elevating as many voices as possible.
As the new CEO of Lensational, what new directives do you want to implement?
There are three main things that I've been working on; the first point is that we have had such a great foundation for our work in regards to how we run our programs. And from that, we have also derived plenty of lessons. Therefore, I want to work on strengthening structures that can support more strategic programming and sustainability. Work on how we identify and quantify a group of women we want to work with or an area we want to work in, and find out how to maximize impact both on the social front for our beneficiaries and the business aspect of the organization. The second thing that I hope we can implement is to employ more people.
I believe that the work we have been doing is more demanding on people's time. I have been thinking about ways to start absorbing some of the amazing team members we have, whether a consultancy business or a full-time basis.
I hope to implement a revolutionary concept of philanthropy within the organization. In the past, the concept of philanthropy was seen as the purview of billionaires and celebrities. I want Lensational to lead in a culture shift where we can start presenting these opportunities where everybody feels that they can be philanthropic, whether by donating a camera or commissioning one story. Then share these on their socials, where they see this is what I'm doing and feel passionate about and contribute. So that is also something that we're looking into implementing.
How can everyday people contribute to your company?
There are many ways that everyday people can contribute. one of the best ways is by supporting the women by purchasing these images in the gallery; that little extra income helps them. Another way that I can think of is by volunteering, giving back in their areas of strength, and advocating for our work, whether by sharing our content or speaking about it. I also appreciate the feedback from people observing from outside how we can better do our programs or run our programs. And of course, by donating equipment and funds.
Where to get Photos?
Ndapash a local from Esiteti village dancing during a celebratory meeting to welcome Lensationals team, Amboseli Kenya.
There are two ways that images are sold. We have an online image gallery where anyone can visit and select any photos of choice and purchase the pictures; 50% of the proceeds go back to the photographers. The second way that photos are purchased is through story commissioning. So this is very specific where clients warrant the images they want to see based on an assignment.
We have three exhibits were planning this year, which is cool because we have one planned for each of the countries we are working in, so we have two planned in Kenya and Ghana around climate change. We have one upcoming in Hong Kong, I believe at the end of the year, that will be about the experiences of migrant workers.
What is the best story you must share about Lensational?
The best story I have is the story of my journey with Lensational.
We talk a lot about empowering underrepresented women, which is great, but at Lensational, I have noticed how we empower within the team. My case has probably been the most evident; I joined Lensational very young as a volunteer. The only thing I was sure of is I wanted to be a storyteller, and I wanted to help other people tell their stories, but the journey, my journey of growth, and the wonderful team that has supported me in this role, I think is one of the stories that I love to tell. I like to say to people that I am one empowered woman from Lensational.
CEO Lensational, Lydia Wanjiku poses for a picture with at Esiteti village, Amboseli, Kenya ©Lensational/ Brian Siambi
About Lensational
Founded in 2013 on International Women's Day, Lensational is a non-profit social enterprise equipping marginalized women in the developing world with digital cameras and photography training. Lensational envisions a world where women and girls no longer suppress their thoughts and emotions. Lensational believes that photography can achieve women's empowerment on two levels: Emotional Empowerment and Economic Empowerment. Gaining access to cameras gives women a new way to express themselves. Women receive 50% of the revenue if their photographs are sold through the Lensational online platform and partner agencies.
Find out more at: https://www.lensational.org
Buy Images: https://photos.lensational.org/index
About the Author
Annmarie Hylton-Schaub, Head Marketing Strategist and Content Developer at Project Good Work a boutique marketing group focused on helping individuals who want to launch social impact projects, charities, and change-making initiatives. The marketing group works to develop branding, marketing strategy, and content to connect clients with the people who believe what they believe so that their project and business can thrive.
If you have a passion for an unserved community, a social justice problem, or simply want to change minds contact Project Good Work at ProjectGood.Work to start your project of change today.