Perception (Izilwane: Voices for Biodiversity)

IZILWANE Voices for Biodiversity (www.izilwane.org) - offers a multimedia platform to people from around the world to share their experiences and stories about biodiversity, its loss, and how we can better connect to other species and to local and global ecosystems, which support us all.

Izilwane features articles, reviews, photo and video essays, interviews, notes from the field, impressions, podcasts, blogging, quizzes, a youth section, and more. Izilwane's storytellers (content-creators) are environmental journalists, writers, scientists, students of all ages, activists, artists, photographers, filmmakers, youth, and regular people from all walks of life who have one thing in common: A desire for humanity to stop destroying other species and to learn to live with and care for other species and the ecosystems that support us all.

By participating in multimedia online storytelling, our content-creators explore the psychological, experiential, cultural, spiritual and scientific aspects of the current biodiversity crisis. We believe his multifaceted approach is critical to awakening a new sensibility of what it means to be truly human in relation to other species. And we know that when people share their stories, they are encouraged by the very act of expressing themselves and of finding their own personal voice to become stronger, more committed advocates.

THROUGH THE EYES OF CHILDREN - began as a photographic workshop, conceived by photographer David Jiranek and inspired by the founder of the Imbabazi Orphanage, Rosamond Carr - an American living in Rwanda since 1955.

Using disposable cameras, the children originally took pictures for themselves and to share with others, exploring their community, and finding beauty as the country struggles to rebuild. Today, the children shoot with both disposable cameras and digital cameras. The photos are printed to archival, exhibition standards.