Multi-award-winning humanitarian photographer and storyteller Helen Manson is set to embark on a behind-the-lens tour across the North Island.
Her tour, named ‘A Celebration of Humanity’ takes a look into the frontline of refugee camps and former war zones to child sponsorship.
Manson began her tour of eight locations around the North Island on May 5, with the big finale at the Auckland Bible Church in Greenlane on May 18.
“The overall goal of the tour is that people walk away feeling really encouraged and hopeful about what progress is being made in the world with poverty and injustice,” she says.
The Pakuranga mum of three has travelled to 45 countries, witnessing famine-hit areas, extreme poverty and catastrophic violence to tell stories of the world’s most marginalised and vulnerable people.
“I appreciate that there are some stories that really deserve to be told and sometimes that involves some risk. I’m more than happy to do that in order to bring these stories to light and get someone the help that they need,” Manson says.
While these situations are extremely emotional, Manson says she tries to channel her emotions into her work.
“I am so grateful that I get to shine some light on the darkest places in our world and to share the work of remarkable NGOs [non-governmental aid organisations] that work tirelessly,” she says.
Manson’s photos and stories have helped raise millions of dollars for the charities she’s worked for.
“When I’m interviewing these people, it’s always with the hopes of building a campaign around their story which will ultimately lead to more people in the same situation to get the support required,” she says.
Manson says what she looks for in her work are moments of intimacy, laughter and kinship.
“We have to be so careful as humanitarian photographers because, yes, I could walk into any location on earth and find the saddest possible photo and try and pull at your heartstrings but that’s not the whole story. There is so much more to a situation,” she says
Manson has worked with various NGOs, including Compassion, World Vision, United Nations and Red Cross, to capture powerful images that raise awareness of the challenging situations faced by vulnerable communities.
She has received several awards for her photography, including the Council for International Development photography award five years running as well as an NZ Herald photography award.
Some of Manson’s most difficult assignments have included photographing ISIS wives in post-war Iraq, the desperate plight of displaced Rohingya Muslims in the world’s largest refugee camp in Bangladesh, to child slaves in Ghana.
Helen and her husband Tim are also parents to three children, two adopted from Uganda and one biological child.
In 2020, after living in Uganda for seven years, the pair moved back to New Zealand where she is now the creative and communications lead for Tearfund and is still photographing in the field.
Before taking a job as a humanitarian photographer and storyteller for Tearfund, Manson worked in public relations for glamorous events like New Zealand and Dubai fashion weeks as well as Gisborne’s Rhythm and Vines music festival.
For more information on Manson’s tour or to buy tickets, visit the link https://www.tearfund.org.nz/Blog-Article/ArtMID/1253/ArticleID/68/A-celebration-of-Humanity-tour-2023.
