As the adage goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” While statistics and reports about human rights abuses can be effective in rallying support for a cause, it is really the power of the image that prompts people to act immediately. More and more, NGOs are depending on photojournalism, which combines a series of compelling photographs in order to get their message out to a wider audience.

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In the summer of 2009, International Bridges to Justice unleashed the power of photojournalism through Ian MacLellan, a college sophomore who traveled to Kenya with student journalist Humera Jabir to document the work of the Christian Legal Aid Education and Research (CLEAR). IBJ is partnered with CLEAR Kenya through Joy Mdivo, a winner of IBJ’s JusticeMaker Contest in 2008. CLEAR used the grant from the JusticeMakers contest in order to train prisoners to become their own advocates in court.

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In December of 2009, Ian won the Grand Prize in the Student category of a photo journalism contest hosted by PhotoPhilanthropy, an organization dedicated to connecting NGOs, photographers and photo enthusiasts to “tell their stories, show their work, exchange ideas, find opportunities and financial support for their efforts.” Ian’s photographs of CLEAR were chosen from 20 entrants in the Student Category. Ian also won an Honorable Mention in the same category for his photography for the Kakuma News Reflector, an independent organization that was started to provide a voice for refugees.

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During the two months Ian spent in Kenya, Ian followed the staff at CLEAR’s Kisumu office as the staff provided legal aid to prisoners in a society that was rocked by Kenya’s electoral violence. He traveled to prisons with CLEAR’s staff and documented the legal education trainings, through which prisoners can become their own advocates and paralegals. In the two months he spent in Kisumu, he witnessed the inefficiency of the Kenyan prison system, where the accused are forced to wait because of the staff lacks resources to process their paperwork and appeals.

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CLEAR-Kisumu JusticeMaker Peter Onyango discussing with a client’s parents at Oyugis Court House.

Of his first visit to a prison with CLEAR, Ian admitted, “I’d never been to a prison before and I was a little intimidated.” The fact that a prisoner died suddenly during that visit made the experience even more disconcerting. However, Ian and the student journalist Humera Jabir, who worked with him in Kenya, found the trainings that CLEAR conducted particularly inspiring. According to Ian, the prisoners “had their own discussions on legal issues, their own cases and looked for their own solutions.”

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A sign outside of the Oyugis Court House

Working in the prison system, Ian and Humera talked to prisoners who had been in years for decades without a completed trial. They realized the seriousness of the backlog of cases that has built up because of the lack of processing technology and general apathy to the suffering of prisoners. Despite these challenges, the prisoners listened attentively to the lectures of CLEAR advocate Peter Onyango, whom Ian describes as a skillful professor who prompted learning by asking the right questions of his students.

At the end of the two months, Ian’s experience as a photojournalist for CLEAR left an indelible impression on him. CLEAR’s national director Joy, whom Ian described as “extremely passionate about Kenya and justice”, was highly appreciative of Ian’s skills as a photojournalist. According to Joy, Ian’s photos gave her a fresh perspective on the most ordinary objects, such as the outdated typewriter that was used to create legal documents in one of the prisons. According to Joy, “It was no surprise that [Ian] won the PhotoPhilanthropy award. His level of talent, the commitment he has in his work and in the causes he pursues will only see him grow and excel.”

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Students at a local Kisumu secondary school participate in law clubs organized by the CLEAR-Kisumu

Ian expressed enthusiasm about his win. He noted that while he had entered his photos in photo contests more than 20 times in the past, he had never won first prize. According to Ian, the publicity gained through PhotoPhilanthropy’s contest will help match the nonprofit organizations with donors in the future – good news for CLEAR. When asked what motivates his interest in photojournalism, Ian answered, “whatever I do, I want to make a difference and help create change.”

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CLEAR Kenya staff pictured with student journalist Humera Jabir

Ian’s work in photojournalism has taken him across the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Israel, Kenya, and Uganda. Besides his avid interest in photography, Ian, a Biology and Environmental Studies major at Tufts University, is deeply passionate about the environment. He eventually hopes to work in the development field. More of his photos can be found on his website.

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