Learning Abroad Center

2015 Photo Contest Winners

First Place Winner

Protect and Defend Indigenous Samburu—Laikipia, Kenya

Julie Vang

Woman in colorful Kenyan dress

I interned with the Samburu Women’s Trust (SWT) during my time in Kenya. SWT advocated for both human and women rights of Samburu women and girls. After a 4 hour drive through harsh conditioned roads, I finally made it to one of the Samburu villages. The SWT’s team engaged everyone in a dialogue forum pertaining to gender based violence. From this meeting, I realized that the Samburu was more than just the beautiful beadings that they wore, it was the challenges and frustrations they faced by their harmful cultural practices that undermine and stigmatize them, without confidence to speak out.

 

Second Place

Almost Sinking—Panggang Island, Kepulauan Seribu, Indonesia

Evi Susilowati

Old fishing boat in Indonesia

One of the places I visited during my backpacking trip around Indonesia last summer was Kepulauan Seribu (Thousands Island) a chain of islands located on the off-shore of north Jakarta. As we walk around Panggang Island (which we can do for only 2 hours), we will see some scattered abandoned fishing boats lining upon the shoreline. While we did our community service with the local children, they told us that when the ship finished serving the fishermen, it changes its function as the source of childhood memory of the children on the island.

 

Third Place

UMN Pride in London—Parliament Square in Westminster

Riley DuBois

UofM Student next to a red phone box in London

Sporting my UMN spirit in front of iconic Big Ben and the red phone booth in Parliament Square in the Westminster neighborhood of London.