- Baby in incubator Lima, Peru
Pathfinder International is one of my biggest clients, I’ve photographed their programs all over the world, including in Bihar India, for the cover shot of the spring 2010 edition of Pathways Magazine. I’m always impressed with Pathfinder programs and people. So, while I’m home this week, I wanted to introduce you to Pathfinder and alert you to an easy opportunity to help someone less fortunate than yourself.
You can make a difference in the lives of women and girls around the world right now. How you ask? Well, all you have to do is click this link, watch a video, then share it with a friend. Each time you share this video, a generous donor will give $1 to improve reproductive health services for girls and women.
- Child, rural Peru
Here’s some information about Pathfinder and the www.Girl2Woman.org program.
Since 1957, Pathfinder International has maintained an unwavering belief in the right of women and families to have access to contraception and to quality reproductive health care. Pathfinder’s founder Clarence Gamble, a pioneer in family planning and maternal health, introduced contraception to more than 60 developing countries, including some where Pathfinder is still engaged today.
- Condoms for sale, pharmacy, Bihar, India
Pathfinder works in remote locations, under the most difficult conditions, serving the most vulnerable people. Pathfinder collaborates with governments, NGOs, and community- and faith-based organizations to make contraception available and provide the quality care needed to ensure safe childbirth and healthy families.
Postpartum counseling, Bihar, India
Working in countries with high prevalence of HIV/AIDS, Pathfinder provides a continuum of HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment services and are expanding the integration of these services into reproductive health and family planning programs. Though controversial, Pathfinder supports safe abortion care in countries where it’s legal, provides reproductive health services to commercial sex workers and adolescents, and advocate for sound reproductive health policies in the US and abroad.
- Empowerment, Bihar, India
Pathfinder’s work focuses on overcoming barriers and is based on developing long-term relationships, not only with clients, but with entire communities. Working in traditional societies, Pathfinder understands that changes in attitude and behavior must have the support of religious and community leaders, the guardians of local culture.
Pathfinder trains doctors, nurses, midwives, traditional birth attendants, community-based health workers, and teachers. At the same time, builds the capacity of their partner organizations to make them stronger, more effective, and able to thrive independently once our support has ended.
If you’ve made it this far; thanks for reading, and if you watched the video and passed it along, thanks also, you’ve made a difference in a woman’s life in some country that Pathfinder works.
I’m off to Thailand on Saturday to shoot for The Asia Foundation and I’ll be blogging along the way. Cheers, Karl
Thanks Karl! Really appreciate you highlighting Pathfinder and sharing Girl2Woman!
Karl
You are making a difference in this world. I am 80 years old; at the time of life when attitudes have hardened, biases are more rigid still, and we tend to see much to dislike about people and activities everywhere. Your photographs are oxygen to me. Initially I looked at your photos with wonder at the beauty of the children; their smiles, their eyes(seeing that which we no longer do), then became aware that adults, though sometimes worn with toil, are beautiful too. I have shared the Pathfinder video with my wife and daughters. My daughters have daughters and they all have wide circles of female friends that I expect will join right in to enlist as many as a volunteer army can. Thank you and stick with it. You are helping me to not grow a shell about my attitudes and feelings. I suspect I am not alone.
Dear Roy,
Thanks for that wonderful heartfelt comment. Your words will inspire me to continue to do what I do. It’s nice to know that my work resonates with people….your comment is evidence of that. Roy, I also appreciate you passing the video along to friends and family. I’m sure that the money raised will be put to good use by Pathfinder. They are a great organization, doing amazing things around the world. Take care and thanks again, you really made my day. Karl
Thanks Karl for telling us about this org. I made a donation and will continue to do so in the future. It is NGO’s like this who are definitely making a difference for our sustainable world and the futures of the women it touches.
Thanks Judi, that’s fantastic! Pathfinder is doing great work…thanks for donating to them.
BTW, did you notice my mention of Harry in my most recent blog post?
Hope you are both well and not being effected by the oil spill 🙁
Karl