by photographer Victor Matom
2001 FiftyCrows PhotoFund Winner

In 1996, two years after the election of the new government in South Africa, I started a project in which I intended to document changes in people's lives. At the same time, I wished to make a personal contribution to uplift the lives of disadvantaged children.

During the years of struggle against apartheid and in the election campaign, the African National Congress made numerous promises regarding "a better life for all”. The new  government is working under difficult conditions and whether it will succeed in keeping its promises depends on many factors, some of which are out of its control. I feel that the efforts of the people I know should be recorded because, whether they succeed or fail, they are battling bravely against the huge odds created by apartheid. Their struggle can be an example to other societies, not only in Africa but also in other continents. I chose to document some settlements around Johannesburg; this is the first phase of my project.

I lived in a shack made of corrugated iron in a settlement called Orange Farm, so I know what life is like with no electricity, sewer system, or running water. The community had no public facilities such as schools. Transportation to the nearest town was expensive. A large proportion of the people in the impermanent settlements are unemployed and abysmal poverty is seen in every corner. Nevertheless, all of these people have normal needs and drives to succeed and they do everything in their power to make their lives as tolerable as possible. Cooperation is the order of the day.

Since 1994, I have been teaching photography to children in these settlements. This is the second phase of my project. The goal of this teaching project is to help children with their education by bringing back the culture of learning that was lost during the struggle against apartheid. Photography incorporates mathematics and chemistry and requires discipline, which is very important for children who come from an unstructured background.

Sixty-four children and youth, who range in age from 5 to 22, have started an organization called Sifikile, which means "we have arrived," to document their own community. I believe deeply in the value of this long-term project that records the uphill struggle of a nation at a critical stage in its development.