Laamu, Women, Climate and my Light bulb

I’ve just spent a working week in Laamu atoll on an exciting field assignment, outside of my regular duties. I was officially released from my office to provide photographic support for a UNWomen project that is being developed on women and climate change- how they are adapting and innovating.

Women here face challenges dealing with refuse, and getting fresh water, not just for consumption during draught times, but for agriculture.  Women play a strong role in that sector and often contribute to the household income this way. Their crops have been affected by climactic changes in rain patterns, erosion and reliable freshwater sources. 

I visited many little farms. Cucumber, chili’s, pomegranate and passionate fruit fetch higher prices at the market. Potatoes, banana, pumpkin and papaya are good staples that grow well in Laamu. And naturally I got fed everywhere I went!

 

My time here crossed over with the 2^nd Annual Laamu Climate Change Forum, with a focus this year on Green Growth, which is very timely at the recent conclusion of the global agreements that were drawn in Paris. The forum brought together multi-sector stakeholders to discuss how far Laamu has come in the last year, where communities are headed, and plan to head, with innovation and development around Low Emission pathways forward. It was incredibly rich and inspiring.

I had the privilege of attending a small lunch put on by the UN Resident Coordinator to host women representatives from the Women’s Development Committee, including their President, Naseera, whom I’ve befriended and will be watching her budding political career, even from afar. This luncheon gave them the chance to directly inform the UN what their challenges and successes are, and these insights will be brought forward to better inform future UN programming here. In addition to other inequities, women are grossly underrepresented in the political sphere, and Naseera is considering running for Island Council President next year. Though many island councils have female members, leadership is lacking. Women make up only 5% of 942 island Councilors countrywide.

On a personal level, I’m experiencing a kind of monumental shift, the kind I felt after I came back from Tajikistan back in 2004. Tajikistan steered me toward the development sector. And now Maldives is steering me back to my camera.  I left the pursuit of photography for a living a while ago, and somehow it continues to find its way back to me. Every job I’ve had since I’ve started a new career ends up putting a camera back in my hand. And here I am in Maldives, shooting for the UN’s advocacy efforts, for donor transparency- but really at its heart, I am storytelling. And this is where I am most comfortable in my own skin!  This is when I get lit on fire, when I’m connecting with people through the camera. (When I'm empowered as a woman traversing a male dominated profession!) The high I get from making a good image eliminates the idea that I am working. Actually, I feel like I’m getting away with something, because is one really supposed to enjoy working this much?  

The light bulb is coming on, it was always glowing a little, but now its fully illuminating the path. This is what I need to be doing, I have finally found my niche, this is how I best serve my global community, how I give, how I feel useful. 

I’m rusty, my gear is antiquated, but I think its time to officially get back on the horse. Isn’t it?

**Note: Top tier photos are being held back for UN's first usage- these are discards, but give you the idea.