Gloria Baker Feinstein had been a professional photographer for decades before she first got a sense of how much potential photography had to help those in need.
In 2006, Feinstein traveled to Uganda to attend a workshop about shooting photography for non-profits and non-governmental organizations. But she felt such a strong connection to the children and workers at the St. Mary Kevin Children’s Home in the township of Kajjansi that she decided to form her own non-profit instead. Feinstein has since made 10 trips to Uganda, each time with a different group of volunteers.
The mission of Feinstein’s organization, Change The Truth, is to help provide shelter, food, security, clothing, medicine and access to education for the children of St. Mary's (As a result of war and AIDS, Uganda is home to an astounding 2.5 million orphans). But photography is still central to Feinstein’s visits, both as a means of interacting with the community, and as a way to present its often harsh conditions to potential volunteers and donors back home.
“It’s a way to give a platform to children who might not otherwise have a way to express their needs,” she says.
The portraits Feinstein takes in Kajjansi reveal her strong connection to its residents, many of whom refer to her as “Mama Gloria.” One image, titled Mother and Daughter, depicts a mother with her arm securely draped around her wide-eyed young daughter. The girl’s white formal dress — likely a castoff from the United States — stands in contrast to the dirt floor beneath their feet and her mother's more traditional pattern dress. The mother’s face is not shown, but her warm, protective presence nonetheless pervades the frame.
Another photograph portrays a bra salesman she saw walking through the village one afternoon. His stance and expression suggest a quiet pride in his work, the abundance of feminine garments around his neck a playful counterpoint to his own masculine features. After visiting with the salesman and taking his portrait, Feinstein invited him to accompany her to the orphanage. The next 30 minutes were a “frenzy of bra sales,” as she offered to purchase one for each of the older girls and women. "There are a lot of fun moments like that," Feinstein says of her visits to Kajjansi.
Feinstein is no stranger to depicting uplifting and everyday moments amid difficult living conditions. She has made repeated visits to photograph the small towns and hollers of Eastern Kentucky, where she grew up. Feinstein's 2001 book From the Heart documented the portraits and stories of 50 Holocaust survivors who lived in the Kansas City area at that time. Her photographs and documentary-style images have appeared in publications like Harper’s Weekly and The New York Times Lens Blog, and have been exhibited in museums around the world.
Whether it’s her digital Hasselblad or the iPhone in her back pocket, she is always ready to snap a photo of the people she meets and visit with them about their stories. No matter where she goes, she's found that people always enjoy being asked to have their portrait taken.
The opportunity to combine her passion for photography with her dedication to service is a gift, Feinstein says. “I feel like I’ve been very fortunate to do the work I’m doing. Not just shooting for yourself, but being able to help others along the way."
– Lucas Wetzel