Haiti, a Photo Documentary - Iris Debelder Photography

Haiti 2013, the village of Gramothe.

In the spring of 2013, I traveled with an adopted relative to her home country in Haiti to work and help out in a clinic in the lush mountain village of Gramothe, north of Port-au-Prince. It is an ongoing project organized by Mountain Top Ministries in Thomassin, a village on the other side of the mountain. A team of 13 volunteers attended 120 to 170 patients a day. There are about 4 to 5 teams a year. I had the opportunity to document this project. It focuses on medical aid, education and agriculture - sustainability .

Eventually, the village of Gramothe will become all school and the clinic will move to another location.

So often, Haiti has been depicted in the worst circumstances. My documentary is one about hope, perseverance and commitment, warm connections and beautiful souls.

students, Haiti, documentary, school, black and white, b/w, classroom, group portrait, portrait, photo-journalism, environmental portrait, portrait photography, daylight, landscape orientation, by Iris Debelder

001 - Honorable Mention at the 2013 AX3 American Aperture Awards for documentary (photos 001, 002, 003, 004, and 013)

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students, Haiti, documentary, school, black and white, b/w, group portrait, portrait, teacher, pupils, photo-journalism, environmental portrait, portrait photography, daylight, portrait orientation, by Iris Debelde

002 - The Spanish teacher and supervisor, Henri Robert René who introduced me to all the class rooms, and some of his students.

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students, Haiti, documentary, school, black and white, b/w, classroom, group portrait, portrait, teacher, pupils, photo-journalism, environmental portrait, portrait photography, daylight, window light, by Iris Debelder

003 - 2013 was the first year to have 13th grade students graduate. MTM teaches mathematics, haitian literature, science, french, spanish, english, religious studies ...

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Haiti, documentary, school building, construction, black and white, b/w, monochrome, fog, mist, photo-journalism, daylight, landscape orientation, by Iris Debelder

004 - Extension of the school building.

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Haiti, documentary, school building, children helping, outside location, black and white, b/w, monochrome, from above, pupils, photo-journalism, daylight, landscape orientation, by Iris Debelder

005 - Elementary school children helping out cleaning the school yard and classes.

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Haiti, documentary, outside location, black and white, b/w, monochrome, from above, clinic, line, people waiting, patience, help, photo-journalism, daylight, landscape orientation, by Iris Debelder

006 - Long lines. Patients arriving at the clinic. They will all get treated. The goal is not to send anyone home without having been checked on.

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Haiti, documentary, outside location, black and white, b/w, monochrome, from above, clinic, vendor, photo-journalism, environmental portrait, portrait photography, daylight, landscape orientation, by Iris Debelder

007 - Street vendors around the clinic

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Haiti, documentary, inside, black and white, b/w, monochrome, clinic, equipment, open window, facilities, poor, chair, photo-journalism, daylight, window light, portrait orientation, by Iris Debelder

008 - Simple rooms but everything at hand. The clinic has 5 stations to receive patients, a pharmacy and an administrative office to keep patient's records.

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