Forthcoming Faces in Focus exhibition.

Artwork: Rafi Spanks, Photo credit: Emily Garthwaite

Thrilled to announce that my work with Muhammed, the young Syrian boy who was tragically maimed during the conflict in Syria, whom I had the pleasure of meeting last year, will be part of an exhibition in the UK hosted by a new venture called Faces in Focus. It will feature 15 photographers representing 15 charities.
Faces in Focus are; "... a growing network for photographers and charitable organisations to tell the stories that matter to the people who care.
Our work features the lives of those supported by charities and organisations around the world. From Syria to Sri Lanka, Colombia to Calais, our work spans an eclectic mix of people and cultures.
Through selling prints, direct donations, or signing up to volunteer, we provide a conduit to invest in the futures of those on both sides of the lens."

The exhibition will be held at The Tabernacle, Notting Hill, London. 

Find out more about Faces in Focus here; Facebook Instagram
                                                                 

Pictures by Muhammed

When I first met Muhammed he was rather taken with my camera equipment, I couldn't resist and let him use one of Nikon DSLR's.

These are his pictures...

Fundraising for Muhammed and Muhammed's Hope.

As you may be aware, last year I travelled to Turkey and met members of the Syrian community. Their plight, and Muhammed's story is what has inspired me to start fundraising to do what I can to help.

Muhammed is one of the Syrians I met last year, he is 8 years old and is a double amputee after loosing his legs in a rocket attack in 2012. You can find out more on my blog muhammedshope.com

To get the ball rolling I have set up a crowdfunding page to start to raise the funds required to help Muhammed access medical care and a new pair of prosthetic legs. You can check it out by clicking here

 

Video; Muhammed's Story.

This is the short docu piece I shot whilst in Turkey last year in which Syrian fixer/translator and young Muhammed talk about Muhammed's situation.

Find out more about Muhammed and the charity I am setting up in his name here.

Muhammed's Hope. The heart wrenching story of one Syrian boy.

Muhammed Qamand is 8,  he is from the Ansari Sharqy area of Aleppo in Syria. On May 2nd 2013 Muhammed and his family were visiting grandparents in the area of Bab Al Hadid when Assad's air force attacked the rebel held area. The blast resulted in the death of his Grandparents, Uncle, his Mother and his brother. Muhammed's legs were blown off and his cousin received facial injuries. He was just 5 years old. Muhammed and his father eventually made it over the Turkish border through rebel held areas. He now lives in Istanbul with his father. Muhammed is currently waiting for surgery to his legs to remove all of the shrapnel and to prepare them for new prosthetic legs. Muhammed will require many follow-up medical procedures as he grows and the leg bones continues to grow. 
 He is under a care program with MedChild International, an NGO based out of the United States run by Scottish born Jan Maren Innes. MedChild help children from war zones and disaster zones, also children with congenital health issues. MedChild will soon hold an online photo auction to raise funds, they will also donate some of the money raised to the James Foley Legacy Foundation, Jan was a friend of Foley's and had been talking with him about holding a photo auction to raise money to help children before he was killed in Syria last year, they will also donate to Sebastian Junger's RISC (Reporters Instructed in Saving Colleagues) Training. With a planned launch of 2016 for MedChild Jan decided to move things forward as she had been presented with cases which she knew she could help now, so brought the timetable forward to this year. MedChild are unique in that they will provide Muhammed's care until he turns 18, as they do with all cases.