Potential Projects!

So, since I've decided to change my Fulbright focus a little, I have a few awesome project/documentary ideas in mind.... Since I am already affiliated with the AWF, I would like to try and work with some of their on going research projects. The AWF conducts research in certain areas that they call the 'African Heartlands'. There are 9 different Heartland regions bordering 16 different countries.

Here's a link about all the different Heartlands Projects and where they work. (the AWF website is awesome, there's SO much info on it!)
http://www.awf.org/section/heartlands

The region I would like to work in is the Maasai Steppe Heartland. There are several long-running projects happening there, from a Lion Research Project, Ivory Project, Maasai Womens' Empowerment Program, and many more. I figure with the broad range of research topics, I could make mini documentaries on all of them!!

Here's a link on just the Maasai Steppe Heartlands Projects
http://www.awf.org/content/heartland/detail/1282

There's also another amazing NGO here, called Savannas Forever, they have a research project here called The Whole Village Project. They work in many different villages that are within 5 kilometers from a park boundry. It's a very broad project, here's an article from Minnesota Public Radio that explains it very well!
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/projects/2008/05/lions/a3.shtml

So I have met with the co-director, Susan James a few times about what I could do if I worked with The Whole Village Project. I think it would make a very interesting photo essay/documentary to interview and photograph each one of her researchers, who are all Tanzanian graduate students. Most of them came from the village or from very impoverished communities, so to hear their stories of how they got to where they are now I think, would make a very powerful documentary. Susan also wants me to go to each village to document the different issues each community is facing and to share that information with the other villages. So often, NGO's here are managed by Americans or Europeans, with western perspectives of how communities should address their issues and with western ideas of '"development". I think an organization like The Whole Village is important to highlight as a way of empowering local people who are working directly with villagers to solve their own dilemmas. I am very excited that I now have 2 big projects that are interested in having me!!!!!

When you apply for the Photo/Filming permit, you have to list all of the districts you plan to work in. Between the AWF and The Whole Village project, I will have a long list of regions that I will be allowed to photograph in. SO, if I find more amazing research projects happening in any of those areas, I could potentially join up with them to really make the most of my Fulbright!!