Picture Change is more than just photography lessons. We focus on community involvement and sustainability of the program through local leadership. We accomplish this by: - Partnering for the long-term. Partner with an organization already established in the community. - Using cameras to teach basic photography skills. Students also write about themselves, their families, communities, fears, dreams, etc. Art is often lost in the struggle to survive, and for many students this is a way to cope and express themselves in the midst of these hardships. - Giving back to the community. Our students are the photographers and assistants for a community-wide photo shoot by providing portrait sessions to those who would like them. This empowers them with the opportunity to help their family and community in a unique way. Hundreds of families get their printed photographs, some for the first time ever. - Putting on a gallery show and we do it right: photography, food, decorations, music, the works. The purpose is to give the students and their families a public, tangible event to be proud of and give the community a show to remember. - Sustainability. They keep it all. All of the photography equipment is entrusted to the partnering organization and student-leaders are trained to maintain the program and continue photography in the community. We also create social media pages which the students maintain (as long as internet is available) such as Facebook or Twitter for their photography so they can connect and share their work and their voice with the world. If you'd like to find out more about us and to explore ways you can get involved, visit us at http://www.picture-change.org/.