A CONONLEY photographer is looking to continue a project for children left devastated by the genocide in Rwanda.

Mark Ingram is set to return to the African country this year to take up a scheme established by photographer David Jiranek where youngsters take pictures with disposable and digital cameras and then display their work.

Mr Jiranek combined his passion for photography, adventure and working with disadvantaged children to create "The Rwanda Project - Through the Eyes of Children" after documenting the genocide in 1999.

He befriended children at Imbabazi Orphanage and taught the youngsters how to take pictures.

The images were showcased in Rwanda in 2001 and have been displayed in various galleries in America.

One eight-year-old orphan went on to win first prize in a Camera Arts Magazine competition in 2001 for a portrait photograph.

And two others, Fidele and Frederic, were given the 2003 Photo District News Photography Annual award for the student category and received a Canon Award for outstanding student work.

At the time, Mr Jiranek said: "On one hand, I want the kids to see that they have something to communicate and share with people from around the world that is meaningful. Remember, these are kids who thought nobody cared about them outside their world of the orphanage.

"The other side of the coin is that I want people around the world to see these kids less as victims, which they of course are, but more as a possibility.

"When you get a hug and smile from Frederic (a boy who lost both his arms) and think about the horror he has experienced, you know that by giving yourself to his spirit, even for a moment, the world can be just a little bit better for it."

Sadly, Mr Jiranek was killed in an accident in 2003, but Mr Ingram, who lives in Lothersdale and runs his photography business from Cononley, is looking to pick up the project.

However, he needs around £10,000 in sponsorship to get it started again. This will include his travel costs to Rwanda, the purchase of camera equipment and money for the children. In return, the sponsor would own the photographs and could display or sell them.

Mr Ingram said: "My time is free - I just need the money for the cost of the project.

"The children's photos illustrate what is going on in Rwanda. They are able to produce pictures inside their homes which I, as a photographer, would not be able to get.

"The project is all about the children, seeing the world through their eyes. I go in and teach them how to use cameras and they also get to learn new skills for which they could receive international recognition.

"I am probably looking for a corporate sponsor. It would be positive publicity for anyone who takes part. It is a project which could be recreated for children all over the world."

For information, contact Mr Ingram on 01535 631400 or 07775 557071. For details about the project, log on to www.rwanda project.org