KICKSTARTER

Please help me finish my four-year photography project documenting young women coming of age amidst the H.I.V/AIDS epidemic in Swaziland. Coming of age for Swazi girls is tough. A tiny African kingdom of 1 million, Swaziland reports the highest percentage of H.I.V positive people in the world, with the hardest hit being women aged 15-29.

I will return to Swaziland to spend time with the four young women I have followed closely. Each year adds a different chapter to their lives, especially for those who have chosen not to take the antiretroviral drugs—and whose health is on the decline. In addition to photographing the women, I will also interview them on this trip. The images and audio interviews will be used in a multimedia piece about these young women and, eventually, a book.

Your support will cover a two-month trip to Swaziland in January and February. The funds will cover my airfare, car rental, fuel, housing, food, and equipment costs. Ten per cent will cover prints and other thank you gifts.

These women's stories need to be told—and I need your support to tell them.

This project has been supported by The Magnum Foundation Emergency Fund and the video was produced by Magnum in Motion.
www.magnumfoundation.org/emergencyfund