Blog
My name is Kristie McLean and I traveled with SalaamGarage to Ethiopia six months ago. For me, one of the biggest attractions to SalaamGarage is its focus on raising awareness of social issues and challenging travelers to ACT (rather than just documenting the status quo) to bring about positive change.
I am always on the lookout for long-term solutions to global social issues. While on the trip, I heard the heartbreaking story of a 22-year old woman, on the brink of suicide, who was brought to Hamlin Fistula Hospital and successfully treated, but whose husband and family would not accept her home again. I also met an Ethiopian engineer who builds water mills that help women in rural communities- and the idea of creating a mill to help both constituencies and serve as a practical solution to everyday life was born.
This water-powered mill in Western Ethiopia will grind grain for 800 families in the community of Begi and provide a safe living compound and sustainable income source for obstetric fistula survivors.
The initial $1,000 for Phase One has been wired to Addis Ababa and the local work team has traveled and researched the best site and obtained the land. I’m excited to report that Phase Two of the Ethiopian water mill project is now underway!
Please join me in the next push to raise at least $2,500 (of the remaining $10K) by July 25th! That’s my birthday, and I’m hoping that in lieu of other birthday gestures I can raise awareness and funds to re-build and empower other lives instead.
To help: please visit the Crooked Trails website (the 501c3 sponsor for this project) at http://www.crookedtrails.org/project6.php to make your TAX-DEDUCTIBLE donation. Make sure to mark “Ethiopia Water Mill Project” in the Notes field so the funds are earmarked successfully. Crooked Trails is set up for corporate-matching and happily accepts both check and credit card donations. THANK YOU for your generous support of the women of Ethiopia!
Kristie McLean
Jul 15, 2011 | Categories: Ethiopia 2010, Ethiopia Life, Fundraising, Hamlin Fistula Hospital, SalaamGarage News | Tags: addis ababa, DIY, Ethiopia, fistula, Fistula Foundation, Hamlin Fistula Hospital, help | Leave A Comment »
“Samara Lectures is a full-service Seattle-based lecture agency that focuses on speakers who make a difference in the world. SalaamGarage is the perfect example of the type of organization we like to support – making connections by telling stories about real people and their struggles. Since we specialize in bringing this kind of inspirational first person story to audiences, Amanda Koster is a perfect addition to our roster….
“We’ve been very impressed by Amanda’s talks at conference such as TEDX Seattle, Web 2.0, and Gnomedex. The most challenging part of talking about humanitarian work is making the suffering of people who live far away, that the audience will never meet, relevant and personal. When we saw Amanda successfully raise $2600 for fistula surgeries in Ethiopia with a five minute talk at Ignite Seattle, we knew we had to get her more opportunities to share her work.”
Amanda Koster’s bio is now available on our website including a description of her talk and quotes from people who’ve presented her as a speaker. If you know of a lecture series, conference, company, artist in residency, or school that could benefit from her inspiration and expertise, please contact us at info@samaralectures.com.
Jul 12, 2011 | Categories: Engagements and Events, SalaamGarage News | Tags: artist in residency, Ethiopia, fistula, gnomedex, ignite, public speaking, samara lectures, seattle, speaker, tedx seattle | Leave A Comment »
Ecuadorian TRAVEL VISA
Ecuador does not require a travel visa unless you plan on staying longer than 90 days. If you are extending your trip on your own, you can obtain a travel visa in Ecuador.
IMMUNIZATIONS
Plan ahead for getting your vaccinations: some of them require more than one injection, while some should not be given together. You should see a travel doctor six weeks prior to departure.
Ecuador requires no immunizations to enter the country, however, due to the remote nature of our destination, there are several immunizations you should consider. These include Malaria, Yellow Fever, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Tetanus, and Hepatitis B. Malaria is a concern for travel in the Amazon basin and parts of the far northern coast. However, you should ask for advice from the doctor. If you haven’t had your Measles/Mumps/Rubella shot since you were a child, your doctor will suggest it. Let your doctor help you decide based on your length of stay and our planned destinations in Ecuador.
MONEY
The currency in Ecuador is the US dollar. Cash and travelers’ checks are readily accepted and can be exchanged at the airport, exchange houses or any banks when you arrive in Quito. It is important to examine your US dollars before arriving in Ecuador. Bills must be in good condition or banks and exchange houses will not accept them. Avoid bringing bills with small tears, writing or heavily worn bills. Traveler’s checks are exchanged at a lower rate than cash and a commission can be charged. ATMs are readily available in most of the cities we will visit.
All participants should carry a money belt for carrying valuables such as cash, air tickets, passports and credit cards.
While in Ecuador, you will be responsible for:
Your own meals in Quito, where you can expect to pay around $5.00 to $10.00 a meal.
International airport departure tax, which is $25.00.
Tips and gratuities: This is a very delicate matter for us, throughout the years we have been often asked what gratuity would be appropriate to leave for the guides. It is our recommendation that the quality of service should determinate the extend of any gratuity for example if the service received has been excellent, a suggestion of US$ 40 per person for whole trip is considered appropriate. Please take note that this is a suggestion: tipping and gratuities are very personal.
Personal items such as laundry, phone calls, emails and snacks.
Jul 06, 2011 | Categories: Ecuador | Leave A Comment »
PDN’s PhotoServe is pleased to announce a partnership with SalaamGarage!!!
PDN and PhotoServe.com are always on the lookout for excellent storytellers and thrilled to offer a package allowing members of SalaamGarage to feature their projects. Join the most exclusive professional photography community and take advantage of a discounted package which includes a PDN subscription, portfolio on PhotoServe.com and discounts on photography contests and with participating vendors. PhotoServe actively supports our members through editorial and news pieces written on behalf of our members and included in our monthly newsletter to over 15,000 creatives, industry events, print and direct mail marketing, and through social media outlets. Discounted rate: $635 paid in full / $660 paid in quarterly installments
For more information or to purchase this value-added membership, contact:
Kristie Nilsson - knilsson@pdnonline.com - (646) 654-5812
Jul 05, 2011 | Categories: Uncategorized | Leave A Comment »
Coming on a trip with us? Travel a lot in general and always seem to forget something? Here is our Master Checklist which can help out any world traveler:
PRE-DEPARTURE: MASTER CHECKLIST
• valid passport
• one other picture ID (driver’s license)
• plane ticket (use our parter: )
• emergency information
• travel insurance
• recommended inoculations
• currency, and credit cards, travelers checks (we don’t recommend using these, they can be a pain in many countries)
• two photocopies of passport, credit cards, tickets, and insurance (we suggest emailing a copy of these things to an ex. gmail account so you can access at any internet cafe in the world)
HOME CHECKLIST
• stop deliveries
• have post office hold mail
• set up timed lighting
• arrange for care of pets
• leave house and trip itinerary with a neighbor
• turn off water heater
• turn down thermostat
• lock all windows
• leave copy of passport and itinerary with family or friends
(more…)
Jun 27, 2011 | Categories: Getting Ready | Tags: getting ready, packing, Upcoming trips | Leave A Comment »
Author, Veronica Gray’s Note:
In November 2010 I traveled to Ethiopia with SalaamGarage. We had been invited to visit the Hamlin Fistula Hospital in Addis Ababa. There, I met Alemtsehay Mamo and Engocha Marefia. I had the privilege of these two very remarkable women permitting me to look into the windows of their lives. They taught me so much about being alive – they touched my spirit as nothing else/anyone has. Here are their stories. They will steal your heart and take your breath away. You can make a difference to women like Alemtsehay and Engocha who suffered from obstetric fistula. Help others like them walk the road back to normalcy and regain their dignity.
The women’s names have been changed to protect their privacy. Many thanks to Ruth Gadissa, Senior Nurse at the Hamlin Fistula Hospital, who was my translator.
LIFE DISRUPTED AND THE RETURN TO NORMAL
“MY STORY” as told to Veronica M. Gray
My name is Alemtsehay Mamo. I am 19 years old. Yesterday, I was operated on for the third time in three years. I suffer from obstetric fistula and complications from my first pregnancy. (more…)
Jun 23, 2011 | Categories: Ethiopia 2010, Hamlin Fistula Hospital | Tags: Ethiopia, fistula, Fistula Foundation, Hamlin Fistula Hospital, midwives, past trips | 1 Comment »
BY CHARLENE JASZEWSKI
Launching the new site! (with Maggie Soladay)
SalaamGarage first came to me looking for a webmaster to guide their upcoming switch to a different webhost. I’m not so much a webmaster as a content person who used to do websites, so out of curiosity I checked out their site. I had become peripherally acquainted with SalaamGarage through my friend Maggie Soladay, and knew the basics: they were a non profit who offered trips photojournalists, citizen journalists, and other interested people got to meet the people being helped by NGOs (non-governmental organizations) around the world.
But looking at the site I thought: where are all the pictures? There were a few (mostly text) pages devoted to upcoming tours, but nothing to show the stories of those who’d already gone on the tours. After talking to founder Amanda Koster, I got the full scoop: they had the info, but it just wasn’t on the site. That’s when my bells went off. “You don’t need a webmaster,” I told Amanda, “You need a content strategist/designer, who can redesign the website to properly showcase the powerful stories you have to tell!”
(more…)
Jun 23, 2011 | Categories: SalaamGarage News | Tags: charlene jaszewski, salaam garage, website | Leave A Comment »
NGOS:
“For Agros International as an development organization, partnering with SalaamGarage did require a significant commitment, fortunately the return-on-investment is more than significant. The process for us was highly collaborative and informative. Agros already has a program for connecting partners with the people we work with in Latin America, integrating SalaamGarage’s unique approach to citizen journalism into our model was interesting and yet we found them [the citizen journalists] to be willing and adaptable, open to our insights, as well as insightful with their perspectives. Even with the collaborative trip behind us, it seems the journey has only just begun as we celebrate the creative, professional, and compelling results and look forward to further sharing of the Agros story via the work and art of the SalaamGarage partner/participants. To any NGO on the fence about a potential collaboration, if the bandwidth is available, I highly recommend partnering with SalaamGarage without reservation.”
Nathan Hawkins, Service Team Program Manager: Agros International
“It was particularly impressive to observe how Amanda [SalaamGarage founder and leader] demonstrated a natural respect, acceptance and understanding of an entirely new world, so different than that of hers in the West. All the time that they were here, it never occurred to any of us that there were outsiders in the premises. As they moved about and interacted with staff, they conducted themselves so easily with the women we work with, and children who live with us. That was very impressive.
To me, the most unique aspect of the work that SalaamGarage is doing through photography [and media] is how they have transformed a skill into a mission to address such larger and deeper issues of our world. SalaamGarage going to different countries to find out where the need is and how they can contribute in fulfilling those needs is a remarkable mission. Their ability to invest with a long-term vision in mind, the empathy with which they think and operate and her [the leaders] amazing quality of listening touched and impressed everyone at Vatsalya.”
Jaimala Gupta, Executive director and founder: Vatsalya
“When I was working with NGOs overseas we had some photographers come out to visit our projects, but it always seemed that their visit could have made a lot more impact both in-country and back in the USA. But what’s different with the concept of SalaamGarage, is now the combination of messages and images have the chance to resonate with a much wider audience and bring attention to underserved populations around the world.”
Adam Sirois, Coordinator of the Office of Global Health at the New York University College of Nursing / Former Country Director, International Medical Corps
PAST TRAVELERS:
“ … I went with them [SalaamGarage] to Ethiopia last year and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. I was able to get two young woman back home to their villages after having fistula surgery at the Hamlin Fistula hospital in Addis Ababa. The story was a great success and managed to raise both money and awareness about obstetric fistula. It was seen by well over 2 thousand people online. The experiences were life changing, both for me and the people involved. Here are some links to the Ethiopia project including a video, photos and my blog from that time.”
David Goldman, NYC. Ethiopia 2010 (
click: David’s photos from the trip)
“My trip to India with SalaamGarage in 2009 led me on a path of knowing myself as a photographer and storyteller. Thanks to SalaamGarage’s mission, I was able to have an experience with the women of Vatsalya’s Women’s Empowerment Group in Shampura Village, in a way that validated for me the power of authentic connection and the fundamental truth that we really are all the same. I’ve since used the portraits and stories of those I met on that trip to raise awareness, generate compassion, and, hopefully to inspire others to find their own paths toward greater freedom, and full expression, in their lives.”
Lisa Field Elliot, Santa Barbara. India 2009 (click: Lisa’s photos from the trip)
“The trip of a lifetime!”
Janat Horn, NYC. Vietnam 2010“SalaamGarage’s trip to Guatemala this summer the best thing that I did this year. I have been searching for a meaningful way to be involved with organizations who are making a difference in the world- and what better way than to incorporate my career of photography?”
“Amazing! My first trip/NGO experience- I truly felt like I was a real photojournalist trying to tell a story visually, and the interaction firsthand was appreciated.”
“Truly perfect- good amount of time in each location, time to decompress, and travel days were always well planned- ample time to adjust to each new location.”
Mira Zaki, NYC. Guatemala 2010 (click: Mira’s photos from the trip)
“I loved being with “young” people who are exploring the world, expanding their careers, and living a media/technical world that is new and strange to my generation. Their energy almost wore me out, but it was worth it.” (Note Grandma Phebe is over 80 yeas old!)
Phebe Sorensen, CA. Guatemala 2010
“Fantastic [leader]- very objective, helpful, and simultaneously personal.”
Mira Zaki, NYC. Guatemala 2010
Jun 22, 2011 | Categories: Past Projects, Resources, SalaamGarage News | Tags: about, testimonials | Leave A Comment »
(from Amanda Koster’s blog, while leading the SalaamGarage trip to Vietnam 1/2010)
dong ha, vietnam.
where i am sitting there ‘was’ a war going on.
the soil is very red here. it has a hi iron content. there are bombs in this soil. explosives which are still killing people, maiming people, blinding people, etc. people who have/had nothing to do with any conflict between north and south vietnam, or the united states or anything. kids who went out to play, thought a ‘bombie’ (cluster bomb) was a toy and kicked it. they may loose their site, legs and arms while their friends die right beside them. this is how it happens.
today i interviewed and photographed a few landmine survivors and victims (there is a difference here).
i am meeting these folks, seeing these places, learning about how things are now, post war. things are good and bad.
yesterday, january 15 quang li told me 14 people have died this year in quang tri province from explosives.
blair (exec. director of peacetrees vietnam) said it will take over 200 years to clear all the explosives in the soil in vietnam. over 200 years. 200 years. how long will this war last exactly?
besides iron i imagine there is a lot of blood as well. the soil here is very red here.
Jun 21, 2011 | Categories: Vietnam 2010 | Tags: Cluster Bombs, Dong Ha, landmines, past trips, Peacetrees Vietnam, Quang Tri, Vietnam, Vietnam War | 1 Comment »
(By Conrad Chavez) I visited India as part of the first SalaamGarage team, which visited Vatsalya in 2007. I was impressed to discover that Vatsalya does not merely rescue street orphans, but is a caring community that transforms them into educated, productive persons with job skills. On our pilot trip, each of us was encouraged to interact with the community in a way consistent with our skills and abilities. I photographed the children, their classrooms and activities, and the work of the dedicated staff. Back home, our trip team mounted photo exhibits about our visit to raise awareness of the work of Vatsalya, and to help jump-start more SalaamGarage trips.
Current SalaamGarage teams commit to developing more specific projects with the organizations they visit, and I also felt I could do more than just show pictures. So I kept my eye open for a future opportunity to help Vatsalya. In 2011 Vatsalya announced a project to fund the building of a new, expanded school. I thought that the new school’s fundraising campaign could benefit greatly from having a visible, accessible presence like we often see in US fundraising projects.
(more…)
Jun 19, 2011 | Categories: Fundraising | Tags: conrad chavez, crowdrise, Fundraising, India, trips, vatsalaya.org, Vatsalya | Leave A Comment »
