Elizabeth was given a camera to document her life. In the story that follows she explains through a translator what she focused the camera’s attention on, and why.
I have some pictures of my workplace. I sell at the market. I am a trader and I sell tomatoes and other things […and] that is my main source of income[…]. So even though I am disabled, I have to work for myself. This is what I do for a living […] and in a day I can get about 20 cedis or 30 cedis.
The main reason why I wanted to show the church is I had a disease, […and] the church has been helping. I got sick for a long time, and I had operations, several operations, about four to five times. And I heard that this church has come, and as a spiritual woman I also felt that I could join the church so that the church could help me […] and I can see that the church has really helped me, and now I can say I am OK[…].
The sickness just left when I joined the church, and it was miraculous. […I] joined the church mainly to help, so that I could feel ok. […I] had been visiting the hospitals more but the church has been a place that has helped me in life so much and I would like to show the church too.
So I have a problem with the staircase that leads to me room. I find it difficult when I am climbing to the room and also climbing down. The stairs really worry me and is a very big difficulty and a big challenge to me. I have a walking stick that aids me in walking and without a walking stick I can’t really walk[…]. So I use the walking stick almost every day, and the staircase has been worrying me – even with the aid of the walking stick I still find difficulty in climbing the staircase.
I wanted to show my room because when I am really tired and stressed from a long day’s work this is where I rest. I do everything basic here, that’s cooking, washing, and everything. So this is the room I want to show you. […] I have a TV here also, that I watch […] sometimes. So that’s basically my life[…].
I also have an eye problem, which is a challenge for me. I am now finding it difficult to see things, to read and also do some things. And that’s also becoming a challenge. So I [went] to the hospital and I got spectacles and I think wearing the spectacles is too basic but that’s what’s helping me see right now at the moment.
There is also a road leading to a house and to the market place where I sell and it is very bad and is also a challenge that I am facing. It is very difficult for me to walk about and sometimes I even fall when I am walking about on those roads. Those roads are very rough for me.
Focusing a Lens on Ability 