He Changti's documentary screening in Adelaide

First of all I want to thank everyone who made the event held for He Changti possible by coming along and opening up to the experience, sharing a wonderful afternoon with the aim of making a difference.

Thanks to all your kind donations we managed to raise $165 which will be in He’s account within a bit more than week.

 

The whole experience was very positive in many different ways. First of all, we managed to get together an amount of money that will be received by He with much happiness and appreciation. At the same time, there was a very special feel to the whole night, with quite a large group of people wanting to listen, understand and willing to be exposed to quite a cruel reality happening far away from home. A story which draws us to reflect, to look inside ourselves and put into perspective the world and the society we live in. I believe this was both a very powerful and beautiful outcome. 

 

Your responses to the documentary were overwhelming and moving, for I did not know what to expect. I wish to take this chance to thank you all very much for your comments and support because they do mean a lot to me and at the same time, they recharge me with energy to keep on developing ideas to help He.

 

 

WINDOWS INTO A SHORT HISTORY

Windows into a Short History, is the tittle I have given to a selection of poems written over the past 4 years. I find writing poetry quite liberating for I can express what I have inside and need to release. Some of the poems are really personal, but I believe that people will be able to relate to most of them some way or another. The biggest achievement would be that you like them and if only in a small way feel inspired! I hope you enjoy the read and please feel free to leave any comments.  Thank you. 

Blu-Tack 

I’m tired of clashing with this jumbled bedroom,

A hard-to-admit reflection

Of my farrago state of mind,

Boxes and big black bags pilled up against a corner,

One on top of the other as deflated old pillows.

 

And I can’t take!

I just… hate it!

What’s so wrong here?

 

The walls are falling apart when pulling hard,

From the fucking blu-tack

Sticking pictures up

From a far away life time I hate to look back at,

I just want white walls back

But now, I also have to bear the big holes.

 

 

It’s time to cut and paste, time to rearrange,

Cover the future ahead with snaps

That inspire me and lead the way

But all is such a mess

I don’t know where to start,

And will that even give me a sense of being back?

 © Gabriela 2009

 

Evil Side

I see my evil side

In the silver reflection

Of crystal clear water.

 

Deformed eye,

Of melted rotten wax

Dripping like a tear.

 

A slug, a horrific

Clown’s smile,

Slowly slides

 

Up my scared face

Into the whole in my check,

The entrance to hell.

 

Zigzag penetration into the moisturized

Hyperactive jelly mass of  crushed

Red feelings, frustration and disillusion.

 

Colourful thoughts

Vanished-ash lovers

Spongy, cologne memories.

 

Tornado of B&W and rainbow,

Unexplainable feelings

Trapped in a never-stopping factory.

 

My left side wobbles.

My right, iron-hard.

No words can define me.

 

I don’t even know who I am.

 © Gabriela 2009

DOCUMENTARY: The Darkness Behind Fireworks. The story of firework factory survivor He Changti

1. China 2008

In October 2008, I reached China, one of my destinations in my 7 month trip around Asia. I volunteered as a photographer for the organization Hand Reach,  http://www.handreach.org/ An independent group of committed people wanting to help kids up to the age of 18 who have been severely burnt or whom had lost limbs during the earthquake back in May 2008. A selection of the most urgent  patients is made and sent to the United States where they are treated at one of the top hospitals, the Schreiner Hospital for kids, completely free of charge, as private investors make generous donations to keep the hospital and this program running.  

I wanted to make my trip more than just a travel experience. I wanted to somehow, help, get in touch with other people in other parts of the world, and hopefully use my skills in a way which could be valuable and helpful to them.

During my two weeks stay at the Construction Hospital, in the Hunan province, I took photographs of burnt  patients for Hand Reach's archives. I met both very young kids, youngsters and adults, who had been victims of fire accidents either at home or during work. Some were severely burnt and others had superficial burns. I was moved by the whole experience, but in particular with the story of  He Changti.

HE CHANGTI

The first time I met He, was through a short news report that the director of Hand Reach, Brecken Swartz, showed to me on the way to the hospital. He was giving the little money he had for food, around 1 euro, to one of his friends in hospital, a 7-year-old kid who, in He's eyes, was in far worse conditions than him. Seeing this, made me feel sick straight away, for it made think about how self absorbed we can become living our comfortable lives in the West. Right then I knew i wanted to meet this warm hearted young man, get to know his story and what he was going through and hopefully be of any help.

It was not an easy experience to take pictures of some of the most affected patients, for they were in great agony due to the pain of their injuries. On my first day I got talking to He with a translator, for I do not know Chinese and he could speak very little English. I still remember stepping inside his bedroom, shared by another 5 patients. He was lying in bed with nothing much to do, but wait. Wait for his next operation, and then for the excruciating pain to stop after the effects of the anesthetics had gone and then wait for his wounds to heal. And then hope, hope that it will all be over soon and that he can go back to having a normal life, be self sufficient again, and hopefully make his dream of owning his own food shop come true. 

Other Construction Hospital patients

Brecken told me how Hand Reach was not able to include He in their aid program, for he was over the age limit, which is 18 years of age, unfortunately. This broke my heart because He is certainly  in need of urgent economic help to reconstruct his body functions.  I decided that if He was willing to give the little money he had to a friend who was in more need that him, so could I. I could certainly make the effort put a little amount of money aside each month to send to him and help to his recovery. At the same time I came up with the idea of making a short documentary explaining his story and situation, so people around the world could get to know him and be aware of his position, giving fortunate people the chance to help in any way they felt appropriate. 

Little by little economic aid is coming from different individuals that have been truly moved by He's story and willingness to live and want to make a difference.  

The documentary has been screened for the first time ever at the Format Festival, as part of the well known Adelaide Fringe Festival, in South Australia in March 2009 with a great feedback from the public.  The story will be up on youtube shortly, but if you have any questions or would like to know more please do not hesitate to contact me at cuzingo@gmail.com