RedFlagMagazine

Location: Sydney, Australia
Name: Kerry Pryor
Text and photo: Roop Gill

Photographer Kerry Pryor is showcasing some pictures in a gallery in the Chippendale neighbourhood of Sydney. Unlike much of the typical work done by this formal textile designer, this particular exhibition features the lives of orphan Ethiopian children that have found a home thanks to an Australia-based foundation, Beyond the Orphanage.

Kerry ended up in Ethiopia almost as a fluke: the photographer who was meant to travel with a not-for-profit group, Eyes for Africa, fell sick and Kerry was offered a chance to go.

“I enjoyed travelling, but I had never been on project like this before,” says Kerry.

But, it didn’t take her long to fall in love with Ethiopia. Along with doing the photography work that was required of her, Kerry also got in touch with Beyond the Orphanage and spent half a day with them.

When, she returned to Africa last year, Kerry spent two weeks taking photos of children for Beyond the Orphanage. She took updated headshots of all the kids, made environmental portraitures, and gave the organization a lot of photos they could use on their website. But, when she returned she felt that she could do more to help.

“I had been really been touched by the work the foundation does,” she says. “Taking the photos for them was great but I wanted to take it even further.”

So, when the opportunity presented itself, Kerry exhibited her work to raise money for Beyond the Orphanage.

“I wanted to make a direct contribution to them and I thought this was a good way,” she says.

Travelling to Africa twice and spending time in these communities has really opened Kerry’s worldview.

“I vouched never to complain if I had to wait 45 minutes for the doctor again,” says Kerry reflecting upon the hardships she saw in Ethiopia.

Kerry is already planning a third trip back to this country that she has fallen in love with: “I can’t wait to go back! The people are amazing. I hadn’t expected this experience to turn out like this at all.”

To learn more about Beyond the Orphanage, visit their website.

To see more of Kerry’s work, check out her page.