Photography Services for Non-Profits: Health and Health Equity
Surgical correction of eyelid deformities caused by trachoma is an essential element of relieving suffering, preventing blindness and further vision loss. Photograph: ©Steven Wade Adams, Karamoja, Uganda. 2017
Documenting Healthcare Challenges and Successes in Developing Nations with Social Documentary & Medical Photography
As I was writing this post, the world of international development began experiencing an earthquake that will forever reshape the sector and literally the lives of millions of people around the world. While it seems overwhelmingly chaotic and without hope, we must continue to find a way to press on for the sake of the uncountable numbers of people in our own country and around the world who deserve relief from suffering, access to safe and effective health care and protection from the threat of emerging disease.
Health and health equity are deeply personal to me and the foundation of my original interest and involvement in humanitarian work. As a scientist who has witnessed health care inequities both in the US and around the world, I am passionate to apply my background as a scientist, strategist and my skills as a photographer and visual storyteller to illustrate the pressing issues of healthcare around the world. Now more than ever, it is critical to amplify the voices of our fellow humans who need access to quality health care while celebrating the resilience and innovation of communities working toward their own lasting solutions.
I welcome opportunities to discuss potential collaborations to document and share stories of important work that can benefit from visual storytelling. You can contact me here. At this time, new, reinvigorated messages must shine through so that the world can see and understand the impact of these important programs that build capacity and empower people around the world to lead us all to a healthy future.
A Focus on Health Equity
Village Health Teams (VHTs) mobilize to provide health services in communities in Uganda with limited access to health care service. Photograph: ©Steven Wade Adams, Karamoja, Uganda. 2017
Health equity isn’t just a goal—it’s a necessity. In my humanitarian photography work, I strive to document the disparities in healthcare access and outcomes while highlighting initiatives and self determination that help to bridge these gaps. From mobile clinics in remote areas to grassroots education campaigns, I seek out stories that illustrate the both the challenges and heroes that are central to the progress being made.
Collaborative Storytelling
To tell these stories authentically, robust collaboration is essential. I begin each project by engaging with the organization to best understand your strategic intent and communition goals and subsequently with the healthcare workers, community leaders, and the individuals whose lives are being transformed. I have developed a tool known as the Humanitarian Photography Brief that provides a mechanism to advance a clear shared vision for the assignment. Click on this link to download a free copy.
Because of my extensive history in health care and health care strategy, I am uniquely positioned to understand your perspectives, and can often provide insights and perspectives that are not typical for contracted photographers. By listening to and understanding your perspectives and objectives, , I will ensure the images I create reflect the needs of your organization and the lived experiences of those being photographed. This approach builds trust and results in narratives that are both genuine and impactful.
Highlighting Innovation and Interventions
Whether it’s the deployment of telemedicine in underserved regions or the success of maternal health programs, I focus on capturing the tangible solutions driving change. These stories of innovation underscore the importance of investing in health systems that prioritize equity and access for all.
Advocacy with Compassion
Photographing health and equity demands sensitivity and respect. I approach every assignment with the understanding that these stories are deeply personal to not only myself and your organization but to those being served. My goal is to document moments that inspire action without compromising the dignity of those involved. By doing so, I aim to create imagery that educates and motivates, fostering empathy and support for critical health initiatives.
Tailoring Stories for Impact
Each image I create is part of a broader narrative designed to align with the goals of the organizations I collaborate with. Whether for policy advocacy, fundraising, or awareness campaigns, my work is tailored to amplify their message and drive meaningful engagement.
Connecting Global Audiences to Local Realities
Health is a universal concern, yet the challenges and solutions often vary dramatically across regions. My photography serves as a bridge, connecting global audiences to the realities faced by communities worldwide. By humanizing these stories, I hope to inspire a collective commitment to health equity.
A Vision for Change
I believe that storytelling has the power to transform perspectives and mobilize action. Through my work, I aim to contribute to a world where healthcare is a right, not a privilege, and where equity is at the heart of every health initiative. For me, every image is a step toward that vision.
To explore how we might collaborate to tell these important stories, please reach out by visiting the link below.
Below are selected examples of work created while on assignment in the area of Health and Health Equity.
ASSIGNMENTS
Eradicating Trachoma: International Trachoma Initiative & Partners
Mass administration of Zithromax antibiotic therapy is a core element of the SAFE strategy for trachoma control. Height charts are used for fast and efficient dosing during interventions at the village level. Photograph: ©Steven Wade Adams, Karamoja, Uganda. 2017
Trachoma is a blinding bacterial infection of the eye that is caused by the organism Chlamydia trachomatis. This condition has been recognized as one of the oldest diseases known to humanity, affecting countless individuals throughout history and continuing to pose a significant public health challenge in various parts of the world today. While eradicated from the US and Europe during the last century, trachoma remains in areas where extreme poverty has made it more difficult to improve sanitation or to provide basic health education to promote hand and face washing.
The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation and Pfizer Inc. founded the International Trachoma Initiative (ITI) with a goal of eliminating blinding trachoma by 2030. As of October 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that 21 countries have eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, utilizing the "SAFE" strategy. “SAFE” includes surgery, antibiotics to clear infection, facial cleanliness, and environmental improvements to reduce transmission. People suffering from the advanced, blinding stage of trachoma experience severe pain and diminishing vision, preventing them from contributing to their families’ economic livelihood, or even taking care of themselves. This project took us to the Karamoja region of Uganda to photograph a multi-pronged program that includes distribution of Zithromax donated by Pfizer and distributed by the International Trachoma Initiative, education on sanitation and hygiene and surgical correction of damaged eyes provided by other international partners such as World Vision and the Carter Center as well as various local partners and providers. The International Trachoma Initiative provides comprehensive support to national ministries of health and governmental and nongovernmental organizations to implement a comprehensive approach in fighting trachoma.
World Vision plays an active role in educating about environmental controls of hygiene and is an essential element of the SAFE strategy for trachoma control. Photograph: ©Steven Wade Adams, Karamoja, Uganda. 2017
Face washing is a core element of the “SAFE” strategy for control of trachoma. Photograph: ©Steven Wade Adams, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2017
Project Kalay: Hygiene Education in Myanmar
Hand wash training at a monastery outside Yangon, Myanmar.
Almost 2 million children in the world under the age of 5 die each year from diarrheal diseases and pneumonia, As summarized by the CDC, handwashing with soap could protect about 1 out of every 3 young children who get sick with diarrhea and almost 1 out of 5 young children with respiratory infections like pneumonia. Very few people around the world clean their hands with soap which is far more effective in removing germs than using water alone. Project Kalay worked with monastic schools in and around Yangon, Myanmar to teach the importance of proper hand washing and to improve access to soap. Buddhist monasteries provide critical education to poorer children without the means to purchase books and attend governmental schools. The value of basic hygiene is even greater within a lesser developed health care delivery system. The success of the program relied on education and support of the monastery leaders as well as local implementation by the teachers and older students. I returned to Myanmar several times to photograph the establishment and progression of this educational program prior to the pandemic and the military coup and governmental crisis of 2021.
PCI India Boys Home: A Sanctuary of Hope and Opportunity
Despite their severely disadvantages beginnings, the residents of the Boys Home are provided a range of services to help them to thrive.
Nestled in Haryana, India, the Boys Home operated by PCI India is more than just a shelter—it is a sanctuary of care, growth, and opportunity for vulnerable boys. Established with a mission to provide a safe and nurturing environment, the Boys Home addresses the critical needs of children who have faced challenging circumstances, including homelessness, poverty, and family instability.
Immediately before visiting the Boys Home, I asked a local guide to take me to the old Delhi train station where a number of lost of abandoned boys live as homeless. While we did not find any of the young boys living in the station, we did find a lost teenage boy who had travelled for two days by train in search of work. He was severely dehydrated, hungry and disoriented in the 110 degree weather. Fortunately for him, my guide was very familiar with the procedures to ensure this young man received supportive services. This experience left a lasting impression and made it very real to me to appreciate the advantages afforded to the young boys that were fortunate enough to find themselves living at the PCI Boys home in Havana, India.
A Safe Haven for Boys
One of the young residents at the PCI India Boys Home in Haryana, India.
The Boys Home offers a safe and structured environment where children who may have lost parents and caregivers can reclaim their childhoods and build a foundation for a brighter future. The program focuses on addressing the physical, emotional, and psychological well-being of the boys, ensuring they feel supported and valued.
The residents assemble for breakfast at the Boys Home in Haryana, India.
This assignment centered on creating a series of materials that highlighted the excellent environment provided to the boys as part of a fundraising campaign to donors in the US. While at the Boy’s home, I was able to spend time talking with them and making portraits of all of the boys. I listened to each of their individual and sometimes heartbreaking stories as to how they found their ways to the Boys Home. Oddly enough, several of the boys told me that like the boy I had met in the train station, they had become lost traveling long distances to find work to survive.
Regular disciplined study time is an essential part of the program at the PCI Indias Boys Home in Haryana, India.
During my two days at the Boys Home, I made images of their education, vocational training, and extracurricular activities designed to foster physical fitness, creativity and critical thinking. The Boys Home staff is well aware that many of the children in its care have experienced trauma. To support their healing and growth and psychological health of these boys, the program integrates counseling and mentorship initiatives. Life skills workshops and personal development sessions equip the boys with tools to navigate challenges and build resilience and prepare them for the time they will leave the home when they become 18 years of age.
Cultivating a Sense of Community
Beyond meeting basic needs, it was apparent that the Boys Home emphasizes the importance of community and belonging. My goal was to greta images that demostrated the strong bonds among the boys. By creating a family-like atmosphere, the program helps them develop social skills, empathy, and mutual respect.
Bathing at the Boys Home is a communal affair.
In addition to chores and study, the boys are provided opportunities to play and interact like any other boys.
Inside one of the dorm-style bedrooms at the Boys Home.