Jenny's HIV Photography Project

Jenny has posted her request for volunteers for this herself on the HIV West Country Woman's Forum : http://hivwomenwest.proboards.com

And I just wanted to say I have met her and think it is a great project - so if any women from Cornwall and the West Country especially want to get involved please do not fear exposure or you will be treated unsympathetically - as you can remain completely anonymous and her attitude is great.

So I have decided to work with this lovely young woman in her final year of a photography degree in the Uni down the road from me who has already done some great work with people waiting for transplants and now is doing a project on people in the UK living with HIV for her final year.

Her interest... As I understand it -

She has spent time in Africa with children with HIV where she became aware of HIV and now wants to reflect - through images and accompanying text- the true picture/situation of people living with HIV in the UK.
She is happy to do it completely anonymously and if anyone agreed to be photographed she can do it in such a way that you are not identifiable. Would like to meet with people but happy just to talk on email etc.

She is at college near me in Cornwall ( Falmouth Uni) so is happy to talk to people from Cornwall but can travel to meet people depending where they are based and as she has links with Bristol and Exeter is particularly keen to meet up with those living with HIV in Bristol and Exeter, especially women.

But if you do not live in Cornwall, Exeter, Bristol, or the the West Country at all I am sure she would still love to hear your views and experiences of living with HIV in the UK. Which even if she can not include photographs based on your experience, what you say I know will inform her work.

I feel we with HIV so need to help and assist young people like this who are interested in the subject of living with HIV from the perspective of what it is actually like and what the reality is now .

As young people are our future, especially young people who are training now to have posts/positions within the media of the future

She is a lovely young woman who would do this well.

Below is her proposal I said I would pass on.


My name is Jenny Cowie and I am a photography student in my last year at Falmouth University. I am currently trying to do a project that hopes to raises awareness about HIV in more rural areas. I don’t think that the general public are aware of anything but the stigma related to HIV and AIDS. Since I began this project and started talking to people I have been shocked how much my views have been affected by stereotypes…and how wrong I have been!!

Remaining anonymous is not an issue. I would just like to meet people, hear their stories and see how they think HIV could be better represented so that it wasn’t such a taboo.

If you are interested and want to look at some of my work please go to my website http://www.jennycowie.com/ (pay particular attention to Waiting…)

You can contact me on 07817785170 or jenny.cowie@hotmail.co.uk

Regards

Jenny