Sweet Sixteen

Opening of the 'Sweet Sixteen' photo exhibition in Amsterdam on the 4th of January 2009.
Exhibition: 22 December 2008 - 1 February 2009
Address: 'van Harte' cafe restaurant, Hartenstraat 24, Amsterdam Centre

About the art project:
The Sweet Sixteen are 16 student (girls) at the Kwale Homeopathic College near Mombasa in Kenya. The focus of this initiative of the 4Kenia foundation lies on educating orphan girls in a two-year training course as professional Homeopathic Nurses. Due to fatal diseases like AIDS and Malaria, orphan girls represent an alarmingly large and often neglected segment of the Kenyan society. Women are generally considered as “Africa’s Future” and by improving their lives - creating opportunities for them to dedicate their new knowledge to the needs of their own people - the girls have a chance to a better future.

Together with artists Monica Hernandez & Daan Noppen, we taught the Sweet Sixteen the art of photography and video. They have learned to capture their imagination, which empowered them to share their ideas, thoughts and life into visuals. Their dream was to show their pictures in Amsterdam. Dreams do come true: the Sweet Sixteen came to Amsterdam for the opening of their first photo exhibition on the 4th of January 2009!

With the profit of their photo exhibition, the Sweet Sixteen are able to purchase their own Homeopathic books and remedies for their future practice as independent entrepreneurs.