In June '09 Heather Metcalfe, Founder of Artfully Unforgotten traveled to Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, Heather interviewed and photographed men, women and children from all backgrounds.
The film footage, photographs and stories gathered during Heather's stay were transformed into a short film & coffee table book titled "Voices of Afghanistan". The book and film focus on the strength, beauty and accomplishments of the women of Afghanistan, as well as their struggles. in today's media Afghan women are presented merely as 'victims.' What Heather found is that the women do not see themselves as victims and in addition, they are determined to rebuild Afghanistan. Watch the Voices of Afghanistan trailer.
Artfully Unforgotten was commissioned by Franciscans International to co-produce this trafficking awareness video, "To Whom It May Concern", along with FI & Sisters of Notre Dame as part of FI's Hear It First Hand campaign.
In December 2010, FI and other organizations asked religious communities about the trafficking of women and girls in their area.
Responses came from all over the world. Those responses are the basis of this video as well as a panel discussion held on March 8th at The Salvation Army International Justice Commission in New York City
During Heather Metcalfe's trip to Afghanistan for Artfully Unforgotten she visited one of the International Assistance Mission's facilities.
While there, Chris Drew gave her a tour, which she filmed. The footage became promotional for IAM.
A terrific organization working in Afghanistan to provide training, employment and valuable services to it's surrounding community. Go to iam-afghanistan.org to learn more about IAM's good work.
The Gisimba Memorial Center Orphanage is a home to nearly 200 orphans in Kigali, Rwanda. The children range in ages from two through their early twenties. The children have been placed at Gisimba primarily because their families have been affected by poverty, HIV/AIDS and the 90's genocide. The staff work to provide the children with their basic needs and rely on the generosity of outside donors and institutions in order to make this possible.
In November '08, Heather Metcalfe, AU Founder, visited Gisimba where she gathered video footage of the children and learned not only of their history, but of the orphanages as well. During the 90's genocide Gisimba served as a safe haven for Tutsi adults who were hidden in the latrines and in the ceilings. Children from all over were also thrown into the center by friends and family with the hopes that their lives would be saved from the mass slaughtering which took place throughout the country.
GISIMBA a short film which explores the lives and circumstances of the children who call Gisimba their home was produced in April 2009 and has been used in order to bring the voices of these amazing children back to the States. See AU's youtube page for more videos on Gisimba.
Home