Our Story
In a nutshell...
The first project started a few years ago, in 2016 with a simple question: why do we only see the negative side of townships in mainstream media and not the positive and vibrant community that you can experience when you visit a township in person.
Wouldn’t it be great to see more images that give a more honest view on life in a township? And who better to give a completely honest view than children. They are innocent, blunt and without prejudice.
How it started
In 2015 we visited South Africa for the first time and we fell in love with this beautiful country; the nature, the scenery, the people, the complexity, the contrasts, the food and wines and so much more. We thought it is important to appreciate a place you visit, you have to embrace it completely. That is why asked local friends in Hermanus if they could assist us with a visit to the Township Zwelihle, next to Hermanus. They arranged that for us and with that an unbroken connection was born. We were struck by the unexpected vibrant, joyful atmosphere and the strong social coherence we found there.
Who are we
In 2020 we, Wilco and Geesje, founded our foundation Stichting Sparklekids Nederland, inspired and linked to Sparklekids South Africa which is founded by our good friends Theo and Angie. This is the outcome of doing community work in Zwelihle what started with our first Through Their Own Eyes-project.
Geesje has been working for dutch wine importers, what explains the link with Hermanus, cause they have in their "backyard",the Hemel- and Aardevalley where they produce the best Chardonnay- and Pinot Noir wines.
Wilco is since 1997 the owner of a specialized cake bakery in the Netherlands and an enthusiastic amateur photographer.
MISSION
In the less privileged areas we let children photograph their surroundings through their own eyes to give a honest inside in the world they live in.
VISION
Through photos we want people to learn and understand that although our circumstances may differ, we are all humans and we should be seen all as equals.
VALUES
We strive to recognize and understand the perspectives, feelings and lived experiences of others, including and especially those most different from ourselves, and give one another grace.
Testimonial
Many of us hear news reports, but do not actually listen what people who live in informal housing and shacks are saying to those of us who are more fortunate. We may look at what is happening on the other side of the tracks and we may even visit the townships, but we do not really see what happening on the inside through the eyes of those who experience the sharp end of life daily. Even more rarely do we hear the voices of the children who live there or see what they see – reality in the raw. Surprisingly, not everything is as sad and tragic as we expect it to be. There are moments of joy and celebration, the sharing of friendships and the ordinary round of life at home, on the street and on the playground. Children with cameras capture life as they see and experience it. In sharing what they see, they help us to recover something of our humanity. We are invited to enter their world and to share something of their experience. We can laugh with them and cry with them. We may even change to become more compassionate, more understanding and more willing to learn from them. Perhaps we can even help them to follow their dreams and achieve their goals, but we may also discover that they have something to give us as we take a step into their world. We have a chance to see what they see through their young eyes. -
John de Gruchy (past professor from UCT and Stellenbosch)
