African girl carries water back to her village. A photo by Gil Garcetti in the Water is Key exhibition.
Wells Bring Hope a Los Angeles based nonprofit dedicated to saving lives with safe water in West Africa is proud to announce that their Vice President and inspiration for the founding of the organization, former Los Angeles County District Attorney and noted photographer Gil Garcetti will have his acclaimed photo exhibition “Water of Key” mounted in Paris, France; Geneva, Switzerland and Vienna, Austria in the coming months.
The exhibition features photographs by Gil Garcetti that reveal the dire need for safe water in West Africa and the hopes and successes experienced when people get safe water. His photos capture the stories of women and girls who are faced with the daily task of walking many miles to get water for their families. This exhibit first debuted in 2007 at the Fowler Museum at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Known for his long career as a prosecutor and a Los Angeles District Attorney, Gil Garcetti has spent more than 40 years as an urban photographer. In 2001, he travelled to West Africa for the first of what would be a number of visits, drawn to the land and the people. It made him deeply committed to raising awareness of the need for safe water in the region. This exhibition showcases a selection of images from his book Water is Key.
The exhibition will run in Paris from June 4-11 at UNESCO, 4 avenue de saxe 75007 Paris; in Geneva from June 18 – July 3 at the United Nations Office at Geneva (UN) B. 32, Building B, Palais des Nations, 8-14 Avenue de la Paix, 1211 Geneva 10; and in Vienna from July 6 – July 20 at the Vienna International Center’s Rotunda Exhibition Space • United States Mission to International Organizations in Vienna, Wagramerstraße 17-19, 1220 Vienna.
Wells Bring Hope’s Founder and President Barbara Goldberg was proud to recently debut a video about the impact of the microfinance loans they give to women in the villages where wells are drilled, viewable at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNEDE-pHhUQ. Wells Bring Hope is the only international safe water cause to include microfinance loans to women as part of their program.
Wells Bring Hope has had a banner year with 90 wells funded. A dedicated team of volunteers, including a documentary filmmaker visited Niger and Mali in January, interviewing close to 100 local women. Its highly successful Education Outreach program motivated students at local schools to raise funds for Wells Bring Hope. The Chadwick School in Palos Verdes raised money for one well in just this year alone and they plan to continue and do a second well next year. The Marlborough School worked very hard over two years and also donated a well. Los Angeles Senior High School, with its matching donor, Jeanne Kuntz, is also working towards donating one well.
To make a tax deductible contribution to Wells Bring Hope, donors should go to www.wellsbringhope.org or mail a check payable to: Wells Bring Hope, 16563 Park Lane Circle, Los Angeles, CA 90049.