The email that started it all.

Susan and Luis at their wonderful bed and breakfast in Mindo, Caskaffesu.

Hi Amy,

I heard from Gary and Karen that you and your husband are planning on coming to Ecuador in Dec., what fun! They also mentioned that you're looking for ideas for a photography workshop. We have an idea that we'd like to run by you. When one of the Peace Corps Volunteers who was here in Mindo was leaving to go back to the US, she gave us an older model digital camera that she had so we could encourage an 8-year-old (or so) kid in town to take photos. He's an orphan whose self-esteem is very slowly increasing with attention that we and others in town have been giving him. Alicia saw that he has an incredible eye for taking photos, so she left us in charge of supervising him with the camera. The thought occurred to us that if you could find funding for 5 or 6 simple cameras and give a workshop to the kids in the community, it would be an amazing experience for you as well as them. We thought the kids in Salem, a German-run organization that houses 12 of the poorest kids in town and has an after-school program for 20 others, would be the perfect group. They have constant, positive supervision; they have the fewest resources; and they're already together in an environment conducive to teaching/learning. This may be completely different than what you had in mind, but we thought it is worth putting the idea out to you. Also, just so you can see a few of photos Ronaldo has taken, we're attaching them. (You can see one of them below).

Take care and please say hello to Ian for us,

Susan & Luis

Photo by Ronaldo.

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Youth gain a positive self-identity through programs that target their interests.

El Ganar is another non profit foundation in Mindo that I will be volunteering with the donated cameras. They are an international and Partners of the Americas group involved in sports and other youth activities.

Downtown, really the entire town, of Mindo, Ecuador.

Shy but intrigued. I found it helpful to show the image on the camera screen after the photo is taken.

Cute kids everywhere.

Children of Mindo.

Mindo has around 2000 inhabitants and is generally a tourist destination, especially for birders. There is also river rafting, zip-lines and hiking in the cloud forest.

Here are some of the photos I took in Mindo when my son, Ian the birder, and I were there last winter.

Dog hanging out on a table in Mindo

Early on New Year's Day 2009

What is needed

Do you have an unused digital camera? As the organizer of the Plymouth Digital Photographers club, I am looking for donations of used digital cameras for the Cameras for Kids in Ecuador project. Working with the non profit German group, Salem, http://www.saleminternational.org/english/en_worldwide/en_ecuador.htm

I will be teaching children with very few resourses how to use photography as an artistic expression while developing skills and making them feel valued.

Please drop off or mail any working digital cameras at the Plymouth Art Guild, 11 North Street, Plymouth, MA 02360 before December 1st. I will be volunteering in Mindo, Ecuador for the month of January.

Any digital camera, even with low megapixels, in working order is appreciated. Memory card, cord, battery charger and instruction manual would be great extras if you have them.