visual storyteller | photographer
Mike Drakert is the production manager for MEND, a socially and environmentally responsible company that Invisible Children runs. The MEND program is based in Gulu, in hopes of stimulating growth, local employment, and economic stability. They are both a fashion brand and an program dedicated to educating and providing employment for the women of Northern Uganda. What they don’t tell you about Mike is that […]
During my time in Uganda, one of my jobs was to go around to different schools in the Gulu district and photograph buildings that Invisible Children was working on renovating. I loved this job, as it gave me a rare look into the life and educational system there. An IC engineer and I would hop on a motorcycle and drive somewhere between 10-50 […]
In November, I got to witness a borehole drilling in the outskirts of Gulu. Invisible Children and charity:water have teemed up and are drilling 20 boreholes for rural communities in northern Uganda. All 20 bore holes will be placed in and around Invisible Children’s Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA) groups, with each well providing enough clean water for 250-1,200 […]
Most years in my life my Thanksgivings have been spent with my family and dear friends, sitting around a large table in North Carolina, eating garlic mashed potatoes and chocolate chess pie. Last week, I celebrated Thanksgiving in Gulu, Uganda; surrounded by incredible friends, who I have only known for a couple months, yet mean so much to me. I was woken up on […]
Around my neighborhood, Kanyagoga, in Gulu, I have met some fascinating and beautiful people. This woman, Mary, lives about a quarter of a mile from our house. I used to run past her with my headphones on, and just give a polite wave. Then, once I learned a bit of Luo greetings, I would wave and say ‘afoyo,’ or hello, and last month, I […]
On the walk home from work yesterday in Gulu, we encountered two girls and their mom selling sugarcane and bananas in the middle of a campaign rally for a district commissioner. Although there was complete chaos around us while these photos were being taken, marching bands playing, motorcycles honking, people yelling, babies crying, and rain about to pour down, time seemed to stand still for these beautiful […]
This past weekend, I hopped on a bus from Gulu to Kampala, the capital of Uganda. Let me explain a little about the bus system here. First, you catch a “boda boda” (motorcycle taxi) from the house, with your pack on your back and your boda boda driver holding the rest of your things. This is always slightly terrifying because […]
On one of of my first trips out into the field I was lucky enough to encounter this wonderful old man, whose family told me that he has “100 plus many years.” The word Muzzae roughly means old man. I’d say he fits that description.
Earlier this week I was sent to Pajule, a town north of Gulu where the smaller IC office is, for a photo project. I went with Simon, one of the IC drivers, and learned so much about the history of the area and the struggles he and his family dealt with during the conflict. Simon and I gearing up for […]