Design Practice 2 : LomoKikuyu Competition

In 2006 Lomographic Society International founded the community aid project "LomoKikuyu" in collaboration with international aid organization Light for the World. Their aim: to finance eye surgeries for those in need, so that they may gain (or regain) sight.

Kikuyu Eye Unit

The project base is the Kikuyu Eye Unit in Kenya. It is here that 100% of money raised through the project goes towards cataract surgeries, performed to repair many diseased eyes and put smiles back where they belong. Be sure to check out the gallery below, of photos taken by surgeons and patients taken in Kikuyu.

How the project came about

• It kicked-off with a major international Lomographic campaign to raise donations.
• An online photo competition “Seeing (again)” then followed, where hand-picked photos were accompanied by the first prize winner to Kikuyu and presented as a LomoWall to recovered patients.
• Images taken by patients, doctors, nurses, and the team at Lomography while on the LomoKikuyu mission were compiled, and personal accounts collected, to form the book “Lomo Kikuyu – It’s good to see (again)”
• All the proceeds from book sales return back to the source of inspiration: Kikuyu Eye Unit, where each book of 5 EUR/USD goes towards paying for eye surgery.

How someone with cataracts might see the world

Imagine: it’s easy if you try

Owing to the lack of facilities, medical personnel and money, 75% of curable sight related diseases that affect those in developing countries often result in severe damage and even complete loss of sight. This brutal fact was a main driving force behind the mission as with a minimal amount of money thousands of operations are performed yearly, 20 new are specialists trained, and 70,000 people are examined.

With every cent put to use, as the LomoKikuyu Microsite and Lomo Kikuyu Book attest to, the project, now five years on, has bettered the lives and sight of thousands with impaired vision.

Photos taken by patients, doctors, nurses, and the team at Lomography
After looking into Lomography I found out about this competition so I thought I would look at it specifically to find out more. There is potential in the range of ways to approach my what is good and the charity angle is one. This isn't well known or publicised and could be something to promote and brand.