Project WonderFULL’s ORIGIN

You know that feeling when you’ve done something so right, it fills your heart with a sense of purpose, gratitude, momentum and joy? 

I felt this feeling in Kenya, Africa in 2012, a place I had wanted to visit since I was a child. 

In the Mathare slums of Naroibi, there is a small nonprofit organization educating local children. I was in Africa to visit family, and already felt the trip had been eye opening. I had captured thousands of images on my camera. But going to Mathare and meeting the teachers and students, opened my eyes and heart in a new way.

My expectation was to capture the children as they attended their classes, ate provided meals, and played. Upon arrival, my jaw dropped. The conditions were like nothing I had ever seen. There was garbage everywhere, the “houses” barely had roofs on them and the smell was horrible.

But this community wasn't depressed. This was a community full of love. I could feel it, the energy was palpable. My heart felt full. My camera clicked, on the smiling faces of children, on the neat if bare classroom, on patient teachers and the children singing tunes. I took the students first ever school portraits, printed them when I was home, and sent them to the school.

The notes I received from the students was pure joy. Most of them had never had a picture of themselves, and they were all so excited. But even more powerful was the response I got from others who I shared the story and photos with. Tears formed in people's eyes, and my own, seeing the photographs and hearing their story.

All of this response prompted a gut feeling from the inner most part of me that THIS is what I am meant to do. It filled me up like nothing else ever had. Over the following years, I traveled more, capturing the world’s beauty, but one thing was missing: I wanted to help illuminate the kindness and beauty of other organizations and people who are making an impact.

So, I did it. In April of 2019, Project WonderFULL was born. 

I am traveling one continent and one country at a time, capturing its beauty and creating prints for you to view this wonderFULL world on your walls on a daily basis.

I am working with amazing social impact organizations and people, along my travels, photo-documenting the beautiful work that they are doing as well as sharing their amazing stories on Podcast WonderFULL.

And, I am building a community of like-minded people who are monetarily supporting the work of Project WonderFULL (including the podcast) through Patreon, while learning “mindFULL seeing” and virtually witnessing the beauty of my journeys through exclusive images shared to patrons only.

I want to provide something wonderFULL to you! Read more about my services and let’s connect!

With Much Love,

Sarah