My One Square Mile
building better communities one square mile at a time
We have all seen those photographs that move us deeply. The photos that invoke deep emotions; enrage us; make us smile, laugh or cry. Promoting what Brazilian educator Paulo Freire has termed education for critical consciousness, photo novellas allow people to document and discuss their life conditions as they see them. One does not have to be able to articulate the message orally or in writing. The photo IS the message. This process of empowerment education also enables community members with little money, power, or status to communicate to the world where change needs to occur.
Photo novellas tell a story. Whatever form a story might take, its strength lies in the memorable, often provocative way in which the viewer is drawn into the experience. People convey meanings of their everyday life through these images.
View these pictures and imagine for a moment that you
are experiencing a day in the life of any of these children. 
It is with this premise that the MY ONE SQUARE MILE PROJECT came into being.
This project involves ordinary people doing ordinary things;
things that matter to them. We have adopted one square mile of this
earth (metaphorically) and will work toward raising funds to build a
a better community on that one square mile. We will document the entire
story in a photo novella.
Moving
forward, we will use that photo novella to tell our story; the story
of My One Square Mile. Hopfully, with distibution
of this photo novella, it will encourage others to adopt one square
mile of their own.
Not everyone will be motivated to adopt their own square mile but perhaps
you would like to partner with one of our projects in helping to sustain
our one square mile.
On this page you will find a list of My One Square Mile Projects that
are currently underway. We encourage you to GET INVOLVED. Together,
we can make a difference, one square mile at a time.
Namaste
Zappha