AFEW Photo Competition
At the beginning of 2010, AFEW launched a photo competition for staff and partner organisations in its 8 countries of operation. The aim was to create a gallery of images that illustrate the important role of NGOs in improving the lives of vulnerable people and in halting the spread of HIV/AIDS in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Following the competition’s closure on February 15, 2010, all submissions were sent on to the judge, Adriaan Backer, in Holland. Adriaan is a highly regarded photographer, who travels the world to tell the story of HIV/AIDS and drug use. He has worked with AFEW in the past in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, and he provides his photographs to AFEW for free placement on our website and in annual reports.
Adriaan was extremely impressed by the high quality of photographs that we received. After much deliberation, he chose the photo ‘Umbrellas’ by Svetlana Valko (Trainer/Communications Officer, AFEW Ukraine) as the winning piece. Adriaan explained his choice:
‘This is a very friendly and sympathetic approach to an extremely difficult topic. The words STOP AIDS are clearly visible on the umbrella. It succeeds in both sending a warning about AIDS and maintaining a light tone. There is a lot of movement in the picture, which I like, and it is taken on the spot. It is a snapshot, and clearly not posed. These are the most difficult pictures to take, but often the best!’
And here is a selection of other excellent contributions to the competition:
| |
Author: Ruslan Myatiyev, AFEW | |
| |
Author: Ulan Soronkulov, AFEW | |
| |
Author: Nisso Karymova, NGO 'VITA' | |
| |
Author: Pavel Ivanov, NGO 'Fakel' |
AFEW wishes to thank all contributors to the photo competition for producing such vivid, people-centred depictions of our joint efforts in ECCA.