Quinkan
NGARRA’s Uganda Village project is a community-based initiative aimed at empowering youth in a remote village in Uganda through the transformative power of photography and storytelling.
aboUt us
go behind the lens
Every voice matters.
every story is heard.
It started with a simple idea; provide cameras and give the chance for young people to tell their story. Not a version interpreted by a stranger, but their story; the way they want to share it. To print those photos, share them with the world, sell their art, and give all of the money back to the community for whatever they need – educational resources, medical supplies, infrastructure, homes, schools. That was the original idea. What came from that one idea was more than I anticipated. It went beyond financial support or providing aid, and became a window to another world – a world through the eyes of children that is full of hope, dreams, and possibilities – that inspired not only those in the community but everyone who came in contact with it as we shared their stories around the globe.
That is when I first saw the impact that could come from this, that could come from the lens of a camera.
Not from mine, but from theirs.
they are the agents of change, shaping their own narratives & inspiring others with their creativity & unique perspectives. ngarra is about more than photography - it's about possibility.
Everywhere you go on this continent currently known as Australia, you will find ngarra everywhere, spoken in different tongues but always pointing to the same truth. Coming from the Dharug way, just south of my home on Wonnarua and Awabakal country, it means ‘together as one’. For the Yolngu in the north, it means ‘being together,’ held in unity. To the Noongar in the west, it’s ‘to be connected,’ and for the Kaurna in the south, it speaks to ‘combining in common purpose.’
No matter what native land you’re standing on, ngarra is law. Not the kind written on paper but the kind carved into the land itself. It’s a way of being in relation – with each other, with the Earth, and with everything that breathes and moves around us. It’s not just a principle; it’s a pulse, a rhythm that ties us all together, a reminder that we are all sitting around the same fire, bound by purpose and place and promise.
This is more than just taking pictures; it’s about creating spaces – spaces where connection and self-expression flow freely, where perspectives come together to invite us to see worlds we rarely get to witness, to listen to voices we rarely get to hear, to sit alongside friends, families, communities, experience their lives and create relationships between people that would otherwise never get the chance to meet. Every project we work on, every frame captured, and every story shared is done hand in hand with the communities themselves, with all profits return to the people who hold these stories, fueling their dreams and strengthening the futures they imagine for themselves. It’s a partnership, rooted in respect and reciprocity, ensuring that when these stories travel beyond their homeland, the benefits travel back as well, creating embassy, an intercontinental common lore of shared story that bring us all together.
We invite you to join us. To sit by the fire, to listen, to see through the lens of these young people, to share in the experience of their worlds, their stories, and be a part of making real change in the world.
one story, one image, one connection at a time, we can reignite the shared humanity that binds us all Together as one.
Honoring A Promise, Living a purpose
our why
It started with the task, asked by my mentor, Dig.
‘Share the stories. Not just the ones I tell you, but the ones the land is whispering to you, the ones waiting to be heard. Take them to the people. Help them hear. Help them see. Help them remember.’
Dig asked me to step into a responsibility – a role that transcended telling a story, and touched the core of what it means to live in relation. He was asking me to carry forward a way of being, a way of seeing, a way of walking gently with the land, with the people, the creatures, with creation itself. This wasn’t just a task – it was a calling, a law, a sacred bond now the heart, the driving force of everything I do.
Ngarra is one of the ways I promised to honor that request. It’s a way to amplify voices that have been silenced, to help the young ones reclaim their stories and share them with a world that desperately needs to hear them. Ngarra is more than an arts project, it’s a movement of reciprocity, of giving and sharing. It’s a promise to the next generation that their perspectives matter, that their voices can spark real change in their own communities and far beyond. And it’s an invitation for all of us to gather around the same fire, that we are all connected, and that by lifting each other’s voices, we ensure no one stands alone.
I started this project because I was asked to. I continue because I’ve seen what happens when a child sees their photograph hanging in a gallery. I’ve seen the pride in their eyes, the strength in their voice when they realize that their story matters. I’ve seen the connections that form when someone on the other side of the world looks at that image and feels something shift inside them, and they’ll never be the same.
This is why we do what we do. Because the most important thing is the stories. Because the most important ones are the next generations. Because Dig trusted me to tend to this fire, and this fire is meant to be shared. When you sit by it, you feel its warmth, you hear the stories being shared – you are reminded that we are all connected, that we all have a place, and that the way forward is together.
leaving a lasting impact
why not for profit?
Our mission never was and never will be driven by profit, but by purpose. We are a not-for-profit project because the work we do cannot and should not be measured by financial gain, nor should it be kept behind a paywall. Our purpose goes beyond the bottom line and is rooted in the belief that every story matters, that every community deserves the opportunity to thrive, that every member, even its youngest ones, can make the biggest difference.
Operating as a not-for-profit and donating 100% of all profits to community initiatives allows us to stay true to our values and what was asked of us. It ensures that our resources, energy, and focus are directed toward empowering the youth, supporting community, and nurturing the creative expression of those whose voices have too often been marginalized, silenced, or drowned out. We exist to serve, to uplift, and to connect – not to accumulate wealth or power. We are accountable to the communities we serve, not to shareholders. This accountability to the lore ensures that every decision we make is in the best interest of those who entrust us with their stories, their hopes, and their futures. It also allows us to reinvest every dollar earned back into the communities we work with, creating a cycle of support that builds resilience, fosters creativity, and inspires lasting change.
Being a not-for-profit project is a reflection of the lore, the stories, the communities, the people and the land that guide us. Our work is built on the principles of reciprocity, community, and sustainability – not on competition or individual gain. Napagi napagi. Gadugi. Ganoñhsésge. Wóohečhota. K’é: K’é. Wherever you go in the world there is the same way – because it’s the right way.
seeing beyond the horizon.
It’s important to talk about trust – not the kind that comes with flashy promises, but the kind that sits within a relationship. I know what it’s like to wonder if the things we support actually give where they say they do . I ask those questions, and I think you should as well.
That’s why transparency and accountability aren’t just values for us – they’re the way we walk. We show all our work, plain and simple: reports, impact assessments, financial statements, all of it laid out so you can see exactly what your support is doing. But it’s not just about numbers on a page. It’s about showing the change on the ground, in the lives of the people, in the strength of the relationships we’re building. And it’s not a one-time deal; it’s continuous and ongoing because relationships aren’t transactions – they have obligations.
We hold each other accountable, because this is a partnership, a braiding of trust. Your trust in us, and our trust in you, our trust in each other to walk in this together. When you join us – whether as an individual, a family, a community, or an organization – you’re not just supporting a project; you’re stepping into relation. You’re making a direct difference in the lives of thousands of people – sisters, brothers, aunties, uncles, mums, dads, grandmas, and grandpas.
This is your invitation to join a movement built on the power of youth, the preservation of culture, conservation of the lands we all call Home, and the understanding that we’re all connected in this journey, together, as one.
our Partners
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"... making uncalculable change across the world."
thankyou
go behind the lens
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