Photographic tribute celebrates Mother’s Day

Photographic tribute celebrates Mother’s Day

World-renowned landscape photographer Ken Duncan and World Vision Australia have teamed up to create an inspiring book of photos and stories celebrating the special bond between mothers and children around the world.

Available for Mother’s Day, Vision of Hope: Mother & Child is an uplifting collection of images by Ken Duncan and fellow photographers Luke Peterson, Steve Fraser and Meg Hansen who travelled to rural and urban communities with World Vision to photograph everyday people touched by poverty.

From Bangladesh, Bolivia, Ecuador, India, Mongolia, Senegal to the Pilbara in Australia this book showcases World Vision’s work empowering communities and families to break the cycle of poverty.

World Vision Australia’s CEO Tim Costello said the book was a tribute to women all around the world as it showcased their strength and resilience when faced with overwhelming challenges.

“I’ve travelled extensively and despite the vast differences in wealth, status, religion and culture, women are connected the world over by their love for their children and a determination to provide an education for their future,” Mr Costello said.

“While the message behind the book is sobering there’s also hope – the images are beautiful and uplifting. They remind you that despite the many differences in circumstances there is a common bond between mothers and children the world over.

“World Vision would like to thank Ken Duncan, his production team and the photographers for generously donating their time and expertise to the project. The proceeds from the book will go to help World Vision’s development work around the world.”

Ken Duncan is best known for his remarkable collection of panoramic images of Australia and his iconic photography for Midnight Oil’s Diesel and Dust album. He has published more than 50 books worldwide, worked for National Geographic and Rolling Stone magazines and photographed The Passion of the Christ film.

Life-changing stories

This is the second book that Ken Duncan has created with World Vision. The first was published almost 20 years ago when he photographed World Vision’s international projects in some of the poorest countries on earth.

Ken Duncan said seeing such depths of poverty for the first time and hearing the heartbreaking stories of the people he met had been life-changing.

“Those first trips that I took with World Vision in my early 30s opened my eyes about global poverty and put my own life into perspective,” Mr Duncan said.

In 2010 Ken visited the urban slums of India with World Vision Australia’s CEO Tim Costello. Amazed by the fortitude of the women he met, Ken decided it was time for a new book, this time honouring the role of women.

“While photographing landscapes is certainly my passion, the opportunity to share the stories of these women is an important way I can use my photography and publishing skills to raise money for World Vision’s amazing work.

“For the book, I also travelled to Mongolia and Bangladesh and was impressed that World Vision’s programs were developed in partnership with the local communities based on their needs.

“World Vision is there for the long term and the staff amazed me with their commitment and fortitude when faced with heartbreaking poverty.”

Mr Costello said thanks to the support of Australian child sponsors, World Vision worked to increase the economic empowerment of women as study after study proves that when you educate a woman you educate a community.

“The special bond between mother and child is the same all over the world. Yet their level of access to economic opportunities and essential healthcare and nutrition can be worlds apart,” he said.

According to The Girl Effect, a collaborative movement of development organisations, when women earn income, they reinvest 90 per cent of it into their families, as compared to only 30 to 40 per cent for a man.

Availability and cost

Available in time for Mother’s Day, Vision of Hope: Mother & Child can be pre-ordered from March 1 2013 by visiting visionofhope.com.au or call World Vision on 13 32 40. Books will be available from April 1 and will take three to five business days for delivery through Australia Post.

Books cost $59.95 (+P&H) plus there’s a leather-bound special edition in a presentation case for $159.95 (+P&H).

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