History
In November 2011, the Alliance Cultural Foundation launched the "Through the Lens of Children - Second-hand Digital Camera Donation Project," collecting around 750 digital cameras over two months. These cameras were donated to 28 schools after being organized and tested by volunteers. Starting in February 2012, Lin Hsi-Ming, Director of the Photography Center at United Daily News, led local photography volunteers to teach children in remote schools how to use digital cameras.
The campaign received widespread acclaim, including a special report by "CTS News Magazine." The children's photographs, showcasing beautiful scenes through their eyes, are displayed on the "Through the Lens of Children" Facebook page. Teachers and students in Hualien and Taitung appreciated the activity, noting that photography helped children connect with themselves, their families, schools, and communities, fostering care and good relationships.
Despite the success, there is still a demand for over 700 second-hand digital cameras in Hualien and Taitung. The Alliance Cultural Foundation aims to root this meaningful activity locally and stimulate children's motivation for learning. In the second half of 2012, a photography competition and exhibition were held, with twenty top pieces selected. The students were invited to Taipei to receive recognition and share their honor.
Mission
Adhering to the mission of environmental sustainability and giving new life to all objects, we hope to encourage the public to donate idle but functional digital cameras to children in the remote areas of Hualien and Taitung. This allows them to preserve precious childhood memories, encouraging continuous innovation, learning, care, and self-challenge. Additionally, through photography competitions and exhibitions, we aim to tangibly motivate the children's learning. This also helps the public who donated cameras understand that their kindness has yielded fruitful and sweet results in the lives of these rural children.
