Noah Hawthorne Photography | San Francisco Wedding Photographer » Baja

Travels with the hand sanitizer project | Fundación Cántaro Azul

Noah Hawthorne — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:22:41 +0000

My work documenting the Salud en tus Manos program with Fundación Cántaro Azul continued this past week, as we left for the northern regions of the Municipio de Comondu to visit another set of communities, and attend a set of training sessions. This particular week was inspiring, as I watched an idea grow quickly, and the project possibly double in size with the added support of almost everyone we met this past week. As a quick recap, Foundacion Cantaro Azul is an NGO based out of La Paz, Mexico. They are starting a project that brings hand hygiene education programs to schools in rural Baja, while also providing hand sanitizer as a technology that facilitates hand hygiene for students and community members. During this past week I went out with Ian Balam, the foundation’s director, as he introduced the program to the teachers at schools (which started this Monday), to doctors at various rural clinics, and to health promoters who work at boarding schools around this region. The reception to the program was overwhelmingly positive. More schools wanted to join the program, hospitals and rural clinics are interested, and Cantaro Azul’s Salud en tus Manos program could soon be off to an exciting start. It’s been wonderful to see the progression, and to be invited to document the progress. Here are a few photos from the last trip.

A typical Baja landscape on the way up North.

Ian introduces hand sanitizer to the cooks at a boarding school, and the dispensers that will be in the dining halls as well.

Giving a talk to the health educators for Comondu.

We stopped at various Ranchos in the northern region, stopping near Las Barrancas, San Juanico, Cadeje, Carambuche, and many other small towns. Here’s a typical rancho, creating a little oasis in an otherwise bone dry valley.

There was even a wine maker (they make wine in Baja!) near San Miguel de Comondu. His ancestors came from Italy in the 1800s, and he still uses their 200 year old press to make his wine.

We also got stuck in the mud on the way out, and spent 3 hours pushing Zorro (the red Toyota) around in order to get out. Here’s a quick photo I took before being called into service.

Salud en tus Manos Baja Trip | Fundacion Cantaro Azul

Noah Hawthorne — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 05:01:59 +0000

I’m back from my first outing into the rural communities with Fundacion Cantaro Azul to document the rollout of their Salud en tus Manos project. I went with Emily and Ian on their trip to do a set of surveys, meetings, and talks with the families living in the rural area of Comondu in central Baja. The goal of this trip was to start to evaluate whether hand sanitizer would be a good intervention to improve hand hygiene in these rural desert communities. Assuming that the project will go forward, the team was also gathering feedback on the educational program that is being planned for rural schools.

For 2 days we rolled along bumpy dirt roads while I marveled at the raw beauty of the Baja backcountry, and the incredible stamina of the ranchers who can scratch out a living from this very hot and dry place. It was really and eye-opener when we found that a two family ranch that we visited makes about 30,000 pesos at year ($3000). It really helps to put things in perspective.

I’m really enjoying working with Cantaro Azul documenting this project, combining my public health training and photography career at the same time. I’ll be heading out again for a 3 day trip tomorrow, and will be able to post more at that time. Until then, here are a few photos from the trip.

Here’s a typical (good) road, and a view of the picturesque canyons in the Sierra region of Comondu.

Hand sanitizer introduction at the ranches…

More photos to come when I get back from the field on Wednesday!

Out of touch until Friday…

Noah Hawthorne — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:49:39 +0000

I’m really excited to be starting field work with Fundación Cántaro Azul tomorrow. I’ll be going out with the team to the Municipio de Comondu, a rural area to the north of La Paz. We’ll be away until Friday afternoon, when I’ll be able to respond to all emails, print orders etc.

One of my tasks for this trip (and continuing at various times throughout this fall) will be to document Cántaro Azul’s latest project, Proyecto Blu: Salud en sus Manos (Health in Your Hands). This project is taking a very unique approach to community health promotion, introducing hand sanitizer gel as an attractive product that will facilitate improved hand hygiene. This product will be coupled with educational campaigns at a community level, along with school-based health education and hand sanitizer dispensers around the classrooms to help keep the kids healthy.

I’m really excited to be doing more documentary photography, and to be working with great organizations like Fundación Cántaro Azul. I’ll be sure to give my report and post some photos when I come back on Friday. Here’s to hoping that the heat won’t be too bad!

Baja Challenge Day 2 | San Antonio de la Sierra Mountain Biking

Noah Hawthorne — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 22:30:13 +0000

This weekend I continued my work with the adventure tours company Baja Challenge. As a reminder, this is a company that I will be working with to create publicity/advertising photos throughout the fall. I have been documenting the various tours and activities that Baja Challenge offers around peninsula area. It’s been a ton of fun experimenting with a different type of photography, working on my Spanish, and exploring this beautiful state of Mexico. This kind of work can really keep me in shape too!

We left from La Paz on an overcast Saturday morning, with a wonderful break from the heat and headed into the mountains to the South. The ride wound along a dirt road, climbing up into the mountains and then back down into an oasis-like river bed. We had some spectacular views, and I was quite surprised at how green this region of Baja was. Apparently a lot more moisture is caught by the mountains here, and at an elevation of about 1000m, the temperature was noticably cooler as well. What a wonderful place for a ride! Here are a few photos from the day:

The Baja Challenge team…

I took some liberties with Photoshop on this one. No, it wasn’t snowing. Quite the opposite in fact. But I’m having fun this afternoon.

And a great shot of your intrepid photographer. Thanks to Lenin for this great image. It’s not often I get to be in front of the camera!

Baja Pictures

Noah Hawthorne — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 06:45:00 +0000

Well, I’m back from Baja, and am braving the rainy weather here in California. The trip was fantastic! I’ve seen more cactuses in a week than I thought possible, and was in awe of the immensity of the desert area that surrounds Baja. Flying back to California, the desert just went on and on- not a drop of water in sight. It’s amazing that whole cities can survive this these areas.

The trip gave me a much needed break, and prepared me for the next set of work and adventures I’ll be having back in the Bay Area.

Baja

Noah Hawthorne — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:48:00 +0000

Here I am! What a wonderful place. Hiking, swimming, and venturing out into the rural desert has made for a wonderful week thus far.

I’m off to Baja!

Noah Hawthorne — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 02:07:00 +0000

I’m traveling again! Give me a little free time, and it’s hard to stay still! Before starting back up with weddings at the end of January, I’ve decided to take a 12 day foray down to Baja. I’ll be meeting up with a friend in La Paz to enjoy the sunshine, kayaking, and working on my Spanish.

I’ll be away from Jan 10th- Jan 22nd. While I’m hoping to have access to the internet, I might be a little harder to reach than usual, and print orders during this time will be fulfilled when I get back on the 22nd.

I’ll do my best to take some great pictures while I’m gone!

Baja trip is coming up…

Noah Hawthorne — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 02:07:00 +0000

I’ll do my best to take some great pictures while I’m gone!