The PhotoVoice Project has worked with more than 55 women from across Japan, from 8 groups based in Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate Prefectures and the Tokyo Metropolitan Area.

Fukushima Prefecture | Miyagi Prefecture | Iwate Prefecture | Tokyo Metropolitan Area

PhotoVoice meetings provide a space for members to share the photographs they have taken, and in doing so share their experiences, thoughts, and emotions with other members. In this space, members use photographs to express their own experiences with loss of beloved people, places, and possessions, fostering a sense of mutual understanding and support. This discussion sparks introspection, encouraging members to derive meaning from their experiences in a way that can be applied to societal problems at large, ultimately creating their own “voice” (message) that they would like to share with the community.

Recently, group members have also been inspired to lead their own PhotoVoice group meetings, attending
routine facilitator training workshops. More and more PhotoVoice groups, exhibitions and community forums continue to be established in new regions across Japan.

PhotoVoice members also take an active role in our exhibition and community forum events. At exhibitions, members share the intent behind their photographs and voices as well as their current situation with attendees, with whom they then engage in discussion. At community forums, members not only present their photos and voices, but also how these experiences capture community and societal problems, as well as their own proposals for disaster response and reconstruction.

The PhotoVoice methodology provides disempowered voices with the means to uncover and share matters of community and societal importance. For more on the benefits of this methodology, click here.

The PhotoVoice Project provides support for existing groups in various regions, as well as the formation of new groups as needed. For information on participating in or creating new PhotoVoice groups, please contact us.