Seeking to empower economically and socially marginalized women throughout the world, Lensational is a remarkable company that uses photography to enable women who might not otherwise have the opportunity to both express themselves and achieve financial independence.
Bonnie Chiu founded Lensational in 2013 with the aim of taking recycled and donated cameras and using them to teach photography workshops for marginalized women around the world. Traveling to Hong Kong, Bangladesh, China, and Pakistan, the company seeks to fight gender inequality by first providing women with a means of expression, but also by giving them the option to create an independent source of income: if participants so choose, they may continue their photography after the conclusion of the workshop, and Lensational will sell their work in both exhibitions and on its website, with the majority of the revenue going back to the photographers.
The program has turned out some wonderful success stories. One participant, Arumy Marzudhy, went from being a domestic worker to being a wedding photographer and is now pursuing a college degree after she moved back to her hometown in Indonesia. Check out Lensational's site, where you can donate cameras, volunteer, or buy photographs, and follow them on Facebook for more!
Much better than standing nude in a park holding a mirror.