SEARCH FOR SWAZI CHILD

A journalist in the United Kingdom has been circulating a request in Swaziland seeking help in a documentary television programme she is making.

Here is her letter.

My name is Caroline Irby.

I'm a photographer and writer, currently working on a project for the Guardian newspaper and Channel 4 for which I need to photograph and interview a Swazi child living in the UK.

My aim is, by August this year (2008), to find one child from every countryin the world living in the UK. There are 193 countries (according tothe UN) so hopefully I'll be photographing close to 193 children.

The finished work will be published in the Guardian magazine later this year and Channel 4 will be showing the pictures and extracts from the interviews in a series of mini documentaries.

So far I've interviewed 128 children but have not been able to find a Swazi.

Do you think you might be able to help? I'd be so appreciative!

The material collected will be a historical snapshot of the UK today; its tone will be upbeat, a celebration of diversity.

I'm travellingto all corners of the UK in search of children. The criteria are that they are aged between 0 and 16 (inclusive) and, ideally, that theywere born in their native country, to parents of that nationality.

I ask about the differences between the child's country of origin andthe UK, what they miss, what their hopes are for the future.

It doesn't matter how much or little they remember of their country. If you'd like to see some of my work, please visit www.carolineirby.com – I'm CRB checked and work regularly with children on assignments for organisations such as UNICEF, Save theChildren, Oxfam etc.

I'm travelling to meet the children at their homes, schools oractivity clubs, then take very informal pictures showing the children doing something normal for them: it could be playing, celebrating a festival or just a simple portrait.

It takes around an hour of their time. I really hope to hear from you soon - I don't want to leave Swaziland out of this project!

Best wishes
Caroline Irby

Caroline Irby
21 Montford Place
LondonSE11 5DE
www.carolineirby.com
(+44) 7967 659 043