Photojournalism - Professional

Helping Hand

Jeremy Fokkens
Canada

Nominee

"Helping Hand"
In this photograph, I wanted to capture the daily life of a Briddhashram resident where local and international volunteers come to help with daily routines (e.g., washing, eating, and walking) where disabilities range from dementia, down syndrome, and blindness to clubfoot and various amputations. The resident’s ages range from 40 to 90 and some have no recollection of their own age. Many have had their families abandon them due to an inability to financially support, or the social stigmatism that results from having a disabled elder in the family.

Biography: Jeremy Fokkens is a Calgary-based documentary photographer who grew up in Calgary, Canada, a classically trained dancer turned professional photographer who has traveled the world performing and photographing in over 55 countries to date. Returning to his roots in Calgary, Fokkens continued a self-taught journey immersing himself in the mediums of both film and digital photography where he now continues to travel extensively to developing countries sharing captivating stories, inspiring viewers on a social and personal level, while visually educating an audience by raising awareness on social...

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