# Ayzoh!

> Community Documentary Storytelling


## Posts

- [Warren Sare’s photographs enter the African Culture Fund collection](https://ayzoh.org/blog/news/warren-sares-photographs-enter-the-african-culture-fund-collection/): The Burkinabè photographer and Ayzoh! member has donated a body of work to the African Culture Fund. The photographs now become part of a collection rooted in the continent whose histories Warren has documented for decades.** In a room at the Centre Photographique de Ouagadougou, Warren Sare stands behind a young photographer and helps him hold the camera. His hands guide the boy’s hands. Along the wall, the others wait, watch, and study the gesture. Before anyone presses the shutter, there is the question that begins every photograph: where do you stand, and what do you choose to include? The images […]
- [Every body a soloist](https://ayzoh.org/blog/events/every-body-a-soloist/): At Rimini’s Area Settebello, Movimento Centrale presented a study-performance with Collettivo Diversamente Danzanti. The work moves beyond the worn-out language of inclusion and asks for something more demanding: real participation. A shared space where bodies are not welcomed as exceptions, corrected into form, or displayed as symbols, but allowed to speak through movement, presence, and relationship. The choice to perform without special effects — without lights, sets, video, or objects — reveals, more clearly than words could, our intention to place the body at the center. Not the body as an icon to be displayed, but the body in its essential […]
- [Maramureș: photographing the village beyond nostalgia](https://ayzoh.org/workshops/workshop-in-maramures-photographing-the-village-beyond-nostalgia/): Maramureș lies in northwestern Romania, along the border with Ukraine. It is a region of hills, forests, valleys, wooden churches, carved gates, and villages where everyday life still carries visible traces of older forms of knowledge. Some of its villages and wooden churches are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Others remain outside the usual routes, held in the memory of local communities rather than in guidebooks. This workshop begins there… …not with the idea of discovering a hidden world, but with the responsibility of looking carefully at a place where tradition, migration, faith, labor, and modern life continue to meet. Our point […]
- [The Alpini gathering](https://ayzoh.org/blog/behind-the-lens/the-alpini-gathering/): The Alpini gathering invites a harder kind of attention: one that recognizes community, listens to criticism, and refuses easy verdicts. The annual Alpini gathering is one of those Italian events that resists easy judgment. This year it takes place in Genoa. These photographs were made in Rimini, the city where Ayzoh! is based, during a previous gathering. Around the Alpini there are opposing narratives. Some people see only the community spirit: men and women who often show up after earthquakes, floods, and other emergencies, working with discipline and generosity. Others point to the reports of harassment that have accompanied some gatherings, […]
- [Real Minero: because only the authentic endures](https://ayzoh.org/blog/partners/real-minero/): In Santa Catarina Minas, Real Minero keeps a family practice of agave distillation alive and helps sustain Biblioteca El Rosario, a community space where knowledge returns to the town. In Santa Catarina Minas, Oaxaca, mezcal begins before the bottle. It begins with maguey, stone, clay, wood, fire, patience, and the inherited intelligence of hands. The photographs that accompany this story follow some of the phases of Real Minero’s work: the agave in the field, the cooked piñas, the fibers opened and crushed, the slow fermentation, the clay pots used for distillation, the attention given to each batch. Nothing in this process […]
- [The Tianguis de Domingo de Ramos](https://ayzoh.org/blog/stories/the-tianguis-de-domingo-de-ramos-a-living-celebration-of-indigenous-artistry-and-identity/): Every Holy Week, Uruapan becomes a meeting place for the artisans of Michoacán: clay, copper, lacquer, textiles, wood, fiber, food, music, and memory gathered in the streets. The Tianguis Artesanal de Domingo de Ramos takes place every year in Uruapan, Michoacán, during Holy Week. For days, the city center fills with artisans from across the state. Stalls spread through the main plazas and neighboring streets. Tables carry clay pots, lacquered gourds, embroidered blouses, rebozos, carved masks, copper pieces, toys, baskets, wooden objects, musical instruments, and many other forms of work shaped by hand. The scale is large, but the strength of […]
- [Teff: what the flour carries](https://ayzoh.org/blog/stories/teff-what-the-flour-carries/): Originally published in A Bag of Stories, the magazine produced and curated by Ayzoh! for Afar Textiles / African Cottons, this story begins in Arba Minch, where teff moves through hands, wooden sieves, plastic trays, shade, dust, and morning light. In these photographs, by Ayzoh! photographer and linguist Giulia Zhang, women lift it, sift it, and let it fall in a shared outdoor space until the flour turns finer, cleaner, ready for the table. Before it becomes injera, teff passes through gesture, attention, and collective labor. The grain in the air The work begins with a lift. Two women raise a […]
- [Niñas Sabias, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico](https://ayzoh.org/blog/partners/ninas-sabias-wise-girls/): Niñas Sabias, also known as Wise Girls, is a nonprofit organization working with girls, women teachers, schools, and local communities in Mexico and Costa Rica. Its work begins with a simple fact that still shapes the lives of many girls: menstruation is often surrounded by silence, shame, poor information, and limited access to safe products. The organization responds through education, body and cycle literacy, teacher training, and locally made menstrual kits. Its mission is to help girls grow healthy, safe, and wise, with the knowledge and confidence to understand their bodies, protect their rights, and take part in school and community […]
- [Biblioteca Pública de San Miguel de Allende, Mexico](https://ayzoh.org/blog/partners/biblioteca-publica-de-san-miguel-de-allende/): In San Miguel de Allende, the Biblioteca Pública brings books, scholarships, performances, workshops, and daily encounters into one shared civic space. The Biblioteca Pública de San Miguel de Allende is one of the city’s most active cultural institutions. It serves the community through literacy programs, scholarships, artistic events, workshops, and public gatherings that bring together residents, students, families, artists, and visitors. Its work is rooted in a clear commitment to knowledge, creativity, and social inclusion in San Miguel de Allende and the communities that surround it. The building itself is part of that work. The Biblioteca offers reading rooms for different […]
- [This is colonization by invitation](https://ayzoh.org/blog/stories/this-is-colonization-by-invitation/): Text by Fikre Tolossa / In the un-glorious past, European colonizers grabbed by force any African lands they had their eyes set on and did whatever they desired to do with the lands. Not only did they exploit the lands, but also the natives by paying them meagerly to till their own lost lands. Now it is a sort of neo-colonialism. The land-grabbers are not Europeans: they are Asians, and even richer Africans; and they don’t employ military force to secure the lands. They pay the African governments. At the root of the land grab lie global food shortage due to […]
- [The Konso and the reliance on one’s community](https://ayzoh.org/blog/stories/the-konso-and-the-reliance-on-ones-community/): The Konso People live in Ethiopia about 600 kms. South of Addis Ababa. They are one of the most ancient people not only in Ethiopia but in the whole Horn of Africa. Their social history and culture have deeply marked their physical environment. They know the names of almost all the plants in their environment. They have a well developed language called Afa’xhonso, rich in proverbs, riddles, puzzles, figurative speeches, idioms, etc., and complex in syntax. They have a good sense of history and are fairly sophisticated mathematically, being concerned not merely with the measurement of time but with grasping intellectually […]
- [Connecting Maritime Communities Across Italy and Norway](https://ayzoh.org/blog/behind-the-lens/connecting-maritime-communities-across-italy-and-norway/): Ayzoh! started as a documentary practice. Photos, interviews, writing, books. Over time, one pattern kept repeating. The strongest work came from relationships, built face to face, over years. Maritime communities taught us this lesson early. These communities hold skills that do not survive through nostalgia. Boat maintenance. Sailmaking. Navigation knowledge. Shared rules on the water. Informal apprenticeship. Stories tied to labor, not performance. When those links break, a museum risks turning into a storage room. A sail loft risks turning into a brand only. A harbor risks turning into a backdrop. Our work stays grounded in one goal. Support living culture […]
- [Field Notes from Burji](https://ayzoh.org/blog/stories/field-notes-from-burji/): My work with the Burji people in southern Ethiopia focuses on documenting a language that is both rich and at risk. I am in the field for the Department of Linguistics at the University of Pavia, continuing a long-term effort to record Dhaashatee, the language spoken by the Burji communities in the highlands south of Lake Chamo. It is one of the least documented languages in the Highland East Cushitic group, and its transmission is under pressure from migration, schooling in other languages, and changing cultural practices. I work through direct contact. I spend time with elders, clan leaders, and families. […]
- [Ricardo Vidargas](https://ayzoh.org/blog/partners/ricardo-vidargas-social-photography-in-san-miguel-de-allende/): Ayzoh! has released Presa Allende, a photographic report of a project created with and for the Presa Allende community. This work, developed in collaboration with Mexican-American photographer Ricardo Vidargas, draws from his deep understanding of the issues we explore and his role in introducing us to the communities involved. About Ricardo After a 20-year career in New York as an architectural photographer, Ricardo returned to Mexico, where he founded a photography program at an art school. Upon his return to San Miguel de Allende, he observed the growing gentrification threatening his hometown and beyond, which led him to take action in […]
- [The Boa Morte Festival:  Irmandade da Boa Morte](https://ayzoh.org/workshops/field-experiences/the-boa-morte-festival-irmandade-da-boa-morte/): The Festival of Boa Morte (or “Good Death”) is a unique religious and cultural celebration linked to the Irmandade da Nossa Senhora da Boa Morte (Brotherhood of Our Lady of Good Death) in Brazil, a brotherhood of Afro-Brazilian women who venerate the Virgin Mary as “Nossa Senhora da Boa Morte.” The name refers to a proper passage from the material to the spiritual world) is perhaps the most important festival in the African Heritage calendar in Bahia and is a living document of African culture and Diaspora to the New World. It celebrates Mary’s bodily assumption into heaven, a moment that […]
- [Differently Dancing](https://ayzoh.org/blog/events/differently-dancing/): In a time when inclusion is often discussed but rarely embodied, the Diversamente Danzanti project shows how movement and human connection can open up genuine spaces of participation. Through the Hobart® Method, the body becomes a voice, the group becomes a community, and every form of difference becomes a source of expression. This is an experience where pedagogy, art, and social commitment come together—placing dignity and the uniqueness of each person at the center. Differently Dancing—A project of inclusion through body and movement Claudio Gasparotto, artistic director of Movimento Centrale Danza & Teatro, leads an inclusive initiative rooted in the expressive […]
- [Tecla Lab by Camilla Garelli](https://ayzoh.org/blog/partners/tecla-lab-by-camilla-garelli/): Some partners don’t need introductions. They arrive quietly, like a familiar presence. Tecla Lab is one of them. Rooted in Torino yet shaped by journeys across Africa and South America, Tecla Lab gives form to something Ayzoh! deeply believes in: everyday objects with soul. Where we tell stories through photography and print, Camilla Garelli speaks through clay. A different language, same vision. Camilla’s journey → Cultural design across continents, clay gathers memory Camilla is not just a designer—she’s a cultural practitioner, a traveler across places and disciplines. With a background in Industrial Design and Visual Cultures, she has long moved across […]
- [La Notte sulle Spalle / The Night on Our Shoulders](https://ayzoh.org/blog/events/la-notte-sulle-spalle-theater-memory-and-civil-resistance/): Regarding our work in the performing art sector, at Ayzoh!, we have made a clear choice: to stand alongside independent theater companies that tell meaningful stories—stories of resistance, human dignity, and the never-ending search for freedom. With our photography, we aim to offer these productions the highest possible visual standard, helping them reach broader audiences and leave a lasting trace. Directed by Isadora Angelini and produced by Teatro Patalò, La Notte sulle Spalle (The Night on Our Shoulders) is one of those rare works where art meets civic responsibility. Premiered to a sold-out audience on April 25, 2025 — Italy’s Liberation […]
- [Where Is Home?](https://ayzoh.org/blog/stories/where-is-home/): I originally wrote this text for the Camp Erech Box — the publication we created during our time in the Mauritanian desert. It was never meant to be public, but now that the project continues to travel and evolve, I feel ready to share it here.  — Giulia Some questions we carry with us for years — never answered, never abandoned. Life moves past us, fast and uncatchable, until one day becomes an hour, and an hour a minute. Time slips like sand between your fingers. And suddenly, you find yourself lost, without coordinates, without a starting point or destination. Where […]
- [Centro Educativo Pavarotti in San Lucas Tolimán](https://ayzoh.org/blog/partners/centro-educativo-pavarotti-in-san-lucas-toliman/): Known locally as Programa Utzilal Tijonikel — “Teaching Goodness” in the Kaqchikel language — the Centro Educativo Pavarotti offers more than education. It offers direction, dignity, and the tools for indigenous youth to shape their futures with confidence. At the Centro Educativo Pavarotti in San Lucas Tolimán, education becomes a tool for cultural pride, resilience, and community transformation—guided by the legacy of Rigoberta Menchú Tum and Luciano Pavarotti. Each year, around 150 students between the ages of 12 and 16 from rural communities in Guatemala begin a journey that reaches far beyond the classroom. At this center, they gain not only […]
- [Learning from Vulnerability](https://ayzoh.org/blog/stories/learning-from-vulnerability/): I wrote this during the long return from Camp Erech — to hold together fragments, emotions, and questions that still echo through my days. I wasn’t sure I would share it. But the desert has a way of continuing to speak, even after you leave it behind. And some lessons — especially the hardest ones — need to be passed on. — Claudio At Ayzoh!, we’re drawn to stories that revolve around difficult choices — radical, inconvenient, sometimes disruptive decisions made in pursuit of a truth, a vision, or a personal ideal. We pay attention when someone resists the temptation to […]
- [Echoes of Ancestral Winds](https://ayzoh.org/blog/behind-the-lens/echoes-of-ancestral-winds/): Ayzoh!’s workshops are more than technical training or guided travel. They are invitations to experience the world from the inside out—to observe, listen, feel, and connect in ways that transcend photography, language, or even intention. Each journey opens a space of encounter. Between cultures. Between energies. Between the visible and the invisible. As someone who walks with both ancestral wisdom and scientific knowledge, I’ve learned that every place carries a frequency. Every land has a rhythm. And when we travel with openness and presence, we don’t just meet people—we meet entire cosmologies. We feel them in our bodies, we carry them […]
- [Hope Cathedral](https://ayzoh.org/blog/partners/hope-cathedral/): Hope Cathedral is an interfaith and environmentally focused art project located in Fredrikstad. Built on a 120 m² wooden barge, the structure takes architectural inspiration from traditional Norwegian stave churches. Its 300 m² roof is made from recycled ocean plastic, created through an experimental process. The project is coordinated by Dialogforum Østfold, Norges Buddhistforbund, Caritas Norway, Fredrikstad kirkelige fellesråd, the Borg Diocese, and Kirkens Bymisjon. Both the process and the final structure are open to everyone. The idea behind Hope Cathedral began with the Borg Diocese but quickly expanded beyond religious boundaries. The project now involves people of different backgrounds and […]
- [Penzi: A Labor of Love](https://ayzoh.org/blog/partners/penzi-weddings-social-impact/): I met Guadalupe Alvarez in Lalibela, Ethiopia, during the war. The town was tense, the air thick with fear, and then — there she was. A woman from Mexico. Alone. Calm. Fully present. She wasn’t a journalist. She wasn’t on assignment. She was just there. Out of curiosity. Out of courage. She stepped in to help people without hesitation, without ever making it about herself. That’s how it began. Mexico, Unexpected Some months later, she invited me to her country. I had never been to Mexico. I arrived in San Miguel de Allende, the city she calls home, and something shifted. […]
- [Afar Textiles: Time, Craft, and the Future of Ethical Design](https://ayzoh.org/blog/partners/afar-textiles-time-craft-and-the-future-of-ethical-design/): At Ayzoh!, we don’t choose sponsors based on money. We choose them based on values. AFAR Textiles is not just a supporter of our work — it’s a company that reflects the principles we try to live by every day: dignity in labor, beauty rooted in the real world, and a quiet resistance to speed, waste, and spectacle. With AFAR, we’ve shared more than a collaboration. We’ve shared a vision. Over time, we’ve produced multiple photographic reportages, a photo book titled Travel With Afar, and a short documentary by the same name. We also created the “Who Makes Afar Bags” campaign, […]
- [Gypsy: what is in a word, pride or prejudice?](https://ayzoh.org/blog/behind-the-lens/gypsy-what-is-in-a-word-pride-or-prejudice/): Every week without fail someone asks me “is the word Gypsy offensive?” There really is no simple answer. ­How can there be when there are 12 million Romanies in Europe alone — all with their own opinions, experiences and identities. It is this fact which complicates almost every debate amongst and about the Romani people. We are considered as this one, gigantic ethnic group with a single Romani identity. It is assumed we speak one language, share one identical culture and, indeed, unite under one name. This, however, is far from the truth and in reality we are a collection of […]
- [Walking Two Worlds](https://ayzoh.org/blog/partners/walking-two-worlds/): At Ayzoh!, we are honored to welcome Yacciry into our community of storytellers, travelers, and cultural guardians. Her presence reminds us that the future is not a single path forward—but a weaving together of deep roots, scientific clarity, and a radical openness to other ways of knowing. “I come from two worlds that often seem to live in opposition. One is the world of science—of biology, marine ecosystems, and the deep, rational study of life in the oceans. The other is the world of my ancestors—keepers of sacred fire, wisdom passed down through ceremony, and the ancient language of wind, water, […]
- [El Rosario: A Library, A Community, A Vision](https://ayzoh.org/blog/behind-the-lens/el-rosario-a-library-a-community-a-vision/): A new photo book titled El Rosario offers an intimate portrait of a community-driven revolution unfolding in the hills of southern Mexico. Created by the independent nonprofit Ayzoh!, this work blends poetic documentary writing and powerful photography to tell the story of the Biblioteca Comunitaria El Rosario—a grassroots library built with adobe and hope. Far more than a building, the library has become a catalyst for literacy, environmental awareness, cultural celebration, and social inclusion in Santa Catarina Minas. It is a place where books are not a luxury but a right, where learning is hands-on, collective, and rooted in the rhythms […]
- [Introducing Ayzoh! Magazine](https://ayzoh.org/blog/news/introducing-ayzoh-magazine/): At Ayzoh!, we’ve never waited for someone to give us space. We build it ourselves. On our own terms. With our own tools. That’s why we created Ayzoh! Magazine — a space that’s ours. A space where no algorithm decides what deserves attention. Where no corporate filter shapes how stories are told. Where the dignity of every person and community we work with is fiercely protected — always. Two Versions. One Vision. Ayzoh! Magazine comes in two forms: An online version, free to explore on ayzoh.org, updated in real time with new voices, projects, and stories from the field.A printable quarterly […]
- [Welcome to the New Ayzoh.org](https://ayzoh.org/blog/news/welcome-to-the-new-ayzoh-org/): The new ayzoh.org is live — not just a website, but a declaration of intent. It’s a space built from the ground up by our Media Lab. Not outsourced, not templated. Designed, photographed, written, and coded by the same people who walk barefoot through the dust, who sit for hours listening to stories, who believe in the slow, rebellious act of documenting truth with dignity. Here, you’ll find no filters, no corporate sheen. Only stories that move, disturb, heal, and ignite. What’s Inside? Publications Welcome to the Ayzoh! Library — a place where photography and narrative breathe together. Flip through digital […]
- [Why Behind the Lens](https://ayzoh.org/blog/behind-the-lens/why-behind-the-lens/): We’re not here to sell you a lifestyle. You won’t find motivational mantras, self-improvement formulas, or repackaged wisdom from some influencer’s feed. This space is about something else entirely. Behind the Lens is where we share raw, thoughtful, and personal reflections from those who walk with Ayzoh!—on the road, in the field, or deep within themselves. Each piece grows from lived experience: sometimes disorienting, sometimes grounding, always real. We don’t believe in a single way of seeing the world. We value questions more than answers, presence over control, listening over teaching. For us, travel isn’t about escape. It’s about entering. Into […]
- [Give the Photo Back](https://ayzoh.org/blog/behind-the-lens/give-the-photo-back/): Why do we bring instant prints to the field? You let someone into your frame. You take time, space, and attention. You also take an image. Most people we photograph never receive a photo back. Projects end. Links expire. Hard drives fail. Phones break. Passwords get lost. A face, a house, a gesture, all vanish behind a screen. So we bring prints. In Maramureș, Romania, a child lifts a small camera and photographs her friends. Minutes later, an older woman turns a fresh print in her hands, checks the light, then smiles. A group leans in, shoulder to shoulder, to read […]
- [The Indigenous Dance Festival in Comonfort](https://ayzoh.org/blog/stories/the-indigenous-dance-festival-in-comonfort-celebrating-the-enduring-spirit-of-indigenous-peoples/): The Indigenous Dance Festival in Comonfort, Mexico, is not a spectacle. It’s a space where cultural memory takes form through movement, rhythm, and shared presence. Each year, the festival brings together communities from different regions to perform traditional dances that have been passed down across generations. These are not choreographed displays for outsiders, but living expressions of identity, shaped by everyday life, belief systems, and local history. Movement as Language In Mexico, tradition is not frozen in time. At the festival, dances carry meaning that goes far beyond performance. The Concheros, for example, move in patterns that reflect ancient cosmologies. The […]
- [The Ethiopian tradition of appreciating performers with money](https://ayzoh.org/blog/stories/the-ethiopian-tradition-of-appreciating-performers-with-money/): In Ethiopia, there is a tradition that unfolds with music. As dancers move and singers raise their voices, a hand reaches out—not to interrupt, but to honor. A small note is placed on the forehead of the performer. Not tossed, not thrown. Placed. It happens in bars where the tej flows thick and sweet. At weddings, birthdays, street corners, and in quiet rooms at the edge of town. It doesn’t matter who is watching. The gesture is always the same: respectful, deliberate, warm. In Ethiopian culture, the forehead carries meaning. It’s associated with wisdom and blessing, a space not to be […]
- [Señor de los Milagros in Rimini](https://ayzoh.org/blog/stories/senor-de-los-milagros-in-rimini-sacred-walk-in-secular-lands/): In October, Peruvians in Rimini carry the Señor de los Milagros through the city: a devotion born in Lima, now held in the streets of migration, memory, and shared faith. The procession of the Señor de los Milagros in Rimini brings one of Peru’s most important Catholic devotions into the streets of an Italian seaside city. In October, the image of the Cristo Morado — the Purple Christ, also known as the Christ of Pachacamilla — moves slowly among candles, flowers, incense, music, prayers, and the purple garments worn by devotees. For the Peruvian community, this walk carries a geography larger […]
- [Somos / Comunidad Ancestral Viviente](https://ayzoh.org/blog/behind-the-lens/somos-comunidad-ancestral-viviente/): Ayzoh! launches Somos / Comunidad Ancestral Viviente, a project that bridges struggles for justice, freedom, and dignity, creating a network of solidarity and offering a message of hope and resilience that resonates far beyond borders, uniting those who see these efforts as essential to the future of all communities. Somos — We are A single word, a declaration of existence. It’s not just a name, but an affirmation of life, of connection. It says: “We are here. We exist as one.” It speaks to our shared humanity, to the collective spirit that binds us together across time and space. Comunidad — […]
- [Inside the Project: Je suis la rue](https://ayzoh.org/blog/behind-the-lens/je-suis-la-rue/): Ouagadougou is often described by people who don’t really live there—foreign journalists on short assignments, NGO staff behind guarded walls. Je suis la rue turns that logic inside out. Instead of speaking about the street, this project gives the floor to those from the street: a group of young people who once lived in it and who now use photography to reclaim their space, their gaze, their voice. After a short technical workshop, the boys and girls involved in the project selected the areas of the city they wanted to document. Many had never held a camera before. Within three months, […]
- [Camp Erech Comes to Bolzano](https://ayzoh.org/blog/events/camp-erech-comes-to-bolzano/): After Milan, we’re heading north. From November 27 to December 16, Camp Erech – The Box Exhibition will open its doors in Bolzano, hosted by the warm and sharp minds behind Espace La Stanza. It’s a small, essential place. But it’s exactly the kind of place we look for — where culture is not a performance, but a conversation. This stop means a lot to us. It brings the story of Riccardo Yahya, his daughters, and their extended community in the Adrar desert of Mauritania into another kind of terrain: alpine, reflective, intimate. And yet, somehow, still desert-like in its clarity. […]
- [Baregota: the taboo](https://ayzoh.org/blog/stories/baregota-the-taboo-a-story-of-living-and-dying/): We find ourselves in Baregota, a small village 8 km from Lalibela, where we are set to build a school for 254 children, using photography among other methods (but that’s a story for another time). After surveying the land granted by the community, we begin the descent into the valley. Like the climb, it’s not easy: there are no roads, just steep, rocky paths clinging to the cliffs. We are happy. Every humble dwelling we encounter offers us an invitation to step inside, share injera, or sip the local honey-based birra. Laughter fills the air, and there are many embraces. But […]
- [Federico Tapia: archeologist in San Isidro de la Cañada](https://ayzoh.org/blog/stories/federico-tapia-archeologist-in-san-isidro-de-la-canada/): Mexico never stops surprising me. All it takes is stepping off the main roads to find yourself in a world of stories — small and large — that deserve to be told. It was no different when my friend and colleague, photographer Ricardo Vidargas, invited me to visit San Isidro, a small village about 25 kilometers from San Miguel de Allende. You can only reach it on foot, on horseback, or with a solid 4×4. We set off — and got lost several times. With no internet connection, we ended up using a drone to figure out the route. In those […]
- [Convite de Locos in San Miguel de Allende](https://ayzoh.org/blog/stories/convite-de-locos-in-san-miguel-de-allende/): Each June, the cobblestone streets erupt in music, color, and joyful chaos as locals and visitors celebrate creativity, faith, and shared joy in one of Mexico’s most spirited festivals. A tribute to Saint Anthony of Padua and Saint Pascual Baylon, this beloved tradition transforms the city into a carnival of dance, music, and unfiltered imagination. Months before the big day, participants—known as locos—begin preparing their costumes. These are not ordinary disguises. They are wild, witty, surreal constructions that draw from cartoons, folklore, pop culture, and fantasy. From dragons to Disney villains, nothing is off-limits in this celebration of playful excess. As […]
- [Newoldcamera (NOC)](https://ayzoh.org/blog/partners/newoldcamera/): More than a camera shop, Newoldcamera is, at its core, a celebration of photography. Founded in Milan by Ryuichi Watanabe, it feels less like a retail space and more like an old-world workshop — warm, familiar, and profoundly human. Its name, Newoldcamera, couldn’t be more fitting. It reflects the essence of this unique place, where history and future, passion and precision, come together. Cameras are bought and sold with love, care, and expert attention. The staff — a mix of skilled technicians and deeply knowledgeable employees — embody the shop’s philosophy: thoughtful, dedicated, and always ready to share their experience. In […]
- [Semana Santa: Sacred Time in the Heart of San Miguel](https://ayzoh.org/blog/stories/semana-santa-sacred-time-in-the-heart-of-san-miguel/): Each spring, San Miguel de Allende becomes a stage for one of Mexico’s most powerful spiritual rituals: Semana Santa—Holy Week. For seven days, this UNESCO-listed town transforms into a living tapestry of devotion, art, and collective memory. Processions wind through flower-strewn streets. Drums echo through narrow alleys. And the line between performance and prayer dissolves into something timeless. Whether observed in solemn silence or joyful celebration, Semana Santa in San Miguel is a deeply human expression of faith, grief, and renewal. As the city’s cobblestone streets bloom with flowers and its colonial façades are draped in symbolic decorations, San Miguel de […]
- [Viernes de Dolores: Grief, Grace, and Generosity in San Miguel](https://ayzoh.org/blog/stories/viernes-de-dolores-in-san-miguel-de-allende/): Deeply rooted in Mexican Catholic tradition, Viernes de Dolores—Friday of Sorrows—commemorates the Virgin Mary’s grief during the Passion of Christ. But in San Miguel de Allende, sorrow is transformed into something luminous: a collective act of remembrance, beauty, and unexpected generosity. The day is dedicated to honoring the pain Mary endured as she witnessed the suffering of her son, Jesus. Yet rather than remaining solemn or somber, the city turns this memory into a night of shared experience and openhearted celebration. The Ritual of Las Visitas One of the most cherished traditions of Viernes de Dolores in San Miguel is las […]
- [Graciela Iturbide in Uruapan](https://ayzoh.org/blog/ispirations/graciela-iturbide-exhibition-uruapan/): In the heart of Uruapan, in a 19th-century textile mill reborn as a cultural space, the ghosts of threads and looms have given way to another kind of weaving: one made of silver halides, memory, and light. Here, suspended from the ceiling on large sheets of woven cloth, 200 photographs by Graciela Iturbide float like apparitions. The exhibition bears no title beyond her name. It doesn’t need one. These aren’t just photographs. They are thresholds. Portals to moments where time folds, rituals breathe, and the ordinary becomes myth. The layout itself – conceived by architect Mauricio Rocha, her son – redefines […]
- [Orthodox Easter 2024 in Maramureș](https://ayzoh.org/workshops/field-experiences/orthodox-easter-in-maramures-documentary-photography-workshop/): The villages of Maramureș — Romania — with their centuries-old traditions, elaborate rituals, and vibrant celebrations, offer a privileged vantage point from which to explore the challenges faced by small rural communities striving to preserve their cultural identity amidst solitude, loss, and hope. This workshop invites participants to witness and document one of the most profound and spiritually charged religious traditions of Orthodox Christianity: Easter in Maramureș. The Purpose of the Workshop Led by professional photographer and co-founder of Ayzoh!, Dorin Mihai, this intensive documentary photography workshop will not only allow you to capture the spirit of a place and its […]
- [Awra Amba: A Different Way of Being](https://ayzoh.org/blog/behind-the-lens/awra-amba-a-different-way-of-being/): I’ve always been drawn to those who disrupt the status quo—who challenge the most harmful and unjust aspects of tradition, who flip the table, who shout “The Emperor has no clothes.” This fascination led me to accept an invitation from the Awra Amba community—located in northern Ethiopia—for Ayzoh! to create a photographic book and website that shed light on their extraordinary story. My first encounter with Awra Amba came through a sociologist based in Halden, Norway, whose expertise lies in Ethiopian social dynamics. His words were compelling: “It’s a unique place you must visit. They embraced a visionary ideal that some […]
- [Isegran – Where the Sea Remembers](https://ayzoh.org/blog/behind-the-lens/isegran-where-the-sea-remembers/): In the waters near Fredrikstad, tucked between the currents and reeds, lies Isegran—a small Norwegian island where boats are built, repaired, launched, and remembered. But more than that, Isegran is a community. A place where calloused hands still shape wood into hulls, where old crafts are not forgotten but passed on, and where the rhythm of the tide sets the pace of daily life. For centuries, Norway’s maritime legacy has reached far beyond its size. In the early 20th century, it sailed as the fourth-largest merchant fleet in the world. Its ships became arteries of a global economy, and its seafarers […]
- [Daimon, All of a Sudden](https://ayzoh.org/blog/events/daimon/): According to ancient myth, before we are born, each soul chooses a path — an image, a shape, a purpose — and is assigned a silent companion to walk alongside us: a daimon. It remembers what we forget. It holds the map to what we once chose. One day, in the quiet echo of the Camp Erech exhibition at MUDEC/BASE Milano, five people — two photographers, two dancers, one witness — surrendered to something they hadn’t planned. Call it accident. Call it timing. Or perhaps, six daimons meeting exactly where they were meant to be. There were no rehearsals. No script. […]
- [Tissia: Weaving Freedom](https://ayzoh.org/blog/behind-the-lens/tissia/): Tissia was founded in Ouagadougou by sisters Alice and Veronique Ouedraogo, with a simple and radical vision: to create space for women to grow, earn, and lead. What began as a microcredit and literacy initiative has grown — thanks in part to support from Ayzoh! — into a textile cooperative where the thread is not only a material, but a path toward independence / read the book In 2019, Tissia opened its first workshop in the city. More recently, it expanded into the savanna, establishing a second hub in the village of Yamba, about 40 kilometers from the capital. The goal: […]
- [Le Bureau Club: A Brief Pause in Nouakchott](https://ayzoh.org/blog/partners/le-bureau-club-nouakchott/): After more than a month in the Adrar desert with Claudio, I decided to take a short two-day break before returning to the harsh conditions of Camp Erech. We accepted an invitation from Le Bureau Club (LBC) in Nouakchott to present our ongoing project. It turned out to be a meaningful detour. LBC is a co-working space that brings people together to rethink the future of Mauritania in practical, grounded ways. Behind the initiative is Francesca Manili, an Italian entrepreneur with a long-term relationship with the country and a clear vision for its potential. She founded LBC to offer a space […]
- [The Awra Amba Project is starting](https://ayzoh.org/blog/news/awra-amba-project-eng/): Awra Amba is a unique community in Ethiopia known for its alternative approach to societal organization and communal living. It was founded in 1980 by Zumra Nuru, who sought to create a community based on principles of equality, gender equity, and sustainability. The community requested Ayzoh’s intervention to create a storytelling project and communication system that would allow the village to manage its image in a sustainable, independent, and unfiltered way. In addition, the region where the community is located is currently affected by ethnic conflict. In this context, the Awra Amba Project is even more relevant to provide the community […]
- [Ayzoh! Ethiopia Tours was born](https://ayzoh.org/blog/news/ayzoh-ethiopia-tours-was-born/): A new travel agency rooted in the spirit of Ayzoh! and in the countless social, photographic, and editorial projects we’ve carried out across Ethiopia. To bring it to life, we trusted Amlaku — a tour operator with over 20 years of experience and a brother to me in every way. Ayzoh! Ethiopia Tours offers journeys for photographers, documentarians, researchers, educators, social workers, and travelers who want to live the stories, not just watch them. Each trip and workshop is created in real collaboration with the local communities we’ve worked with for years, from Tigray to the Omo Valley. To many, this […]
- [Partners in Craft: Amu Les Griots](https://ayzoh.org/blog/partners/announcement-of-a-new-partnership-with-amu-les-griots-in-brussels-and-bobo-dioulassu/): Amu Les Griots is an association founded by Ombretta Moschella — vice-president of Ayzoh! — and Zouratié Koné, master percussionist and griot. From its two main bases, in Belgium and Burkina Faso, Amu Les Griots works to preserve, teach, and share the living heritage of West African cultures through music, dance, rhythm, and ritual. Their workshops and events create spaces where generations meet and exchange knowledge. Through rhythm and movement, the organization fosters inclusion, cultural awareness, and collective well-being. As seen in the photos and video presented here, the energy of their work is not performative—it’s participatory. A Permanent Workshop in […]
- [Dancing Across Borders — UNESCO International Dance Day 2023 in Rimini](https://ayzoh.org/blog/events/dancing-across-borders-celebrating-unesco-international-dance-day/): There are days when cities breathe differently — when sound becomes rhythm, and rhythm becomes connection. April 29, 2023, was one of those days. In Rimini, with the Adriatic wind blowing through the squares, Movimento Centrale once again turned the city into a living dancefloor for UNESCO International Dance Day. No big production, no spotlighted stage. Just open space, music, and the silent agreement that anyone could join in. And many did. A Square Becomes a Stage At first, people stood at the edges. Curious. Watching. The music started softly, and bodies began to move — some with practiced precision, others […]
- [How We Survived the Camp Erech Exhibition at Milano Design Week](https://ayzoh.org/blog/events/backstage-madness-how-we-survived-the-camp-erech-exhibition-at-milano-design-week/): Camp Erech is an Ayzoh! initiative set in the Mauritanian desert, created with a small nomadic community. More than just a field project, it’s a place where tradition and modernity wrestle, adapt, and occasionally find common ground. A space for resilience, dialogue, and survival. The photographs — taken by two of Ayzoh!’s leading photographers and co-founders, Giulia Zhang and Claudio Maria Lerario  —were the result of two intense months spent living in the desert during the harshest season of the year. They chose that moment deliberately: to experience the worst of what the Camp endures, and tell its story from within. […]
- [Camp Erech: A Desert Inside the City](https://ayzoh.org/blog/events/camp-erech-a-desert-inside-the-city/): At BASE Milano, during one of the world’s most curated design events, Ayzoh! opened a space where things were left unfinished, unfiltered, and unresolved. Camp Erech: The Exhibition in a Box was not simply a display of photographs. It was a passage — into the silence of the Adrar Desert, into the rhythms of nomadic life, into the uncertainty that begins when you step outside what you know. A box of photographs, a dance that wasn’t planned, and a book that wasn’t meant to be — all born from one encounter between strangers, images, and sand. More than 200 prints lined […]
- [Warren Sare and the Centre Photographique de Ouagadougou](https://ayzoh.org/blog/partners/warren-sare-and-the-centre-photographique-de-ouagadougou/): In Ouagadougou, a group of photographers, educators, and local youth came together to build the Centre Photographique de Ouagadougou (CPO)—brick by brick, workshop by workshop. The idea was simple: create a space where street children and young people could learn photography and use it to speak for themselves. The project was initiated and led by Warren Sare, with Ayzoh! actively supporting its development from the start—offering tools, guidance, and long-term collaboration. Warren’s connection to the street isn’t abstract. He lived it. His work with young people isn’t a form of outreach, it’s a continuation. At the CPO, photography is not taught […]
- [Partners in Craft: Mette Synnøve Bråthe](https://ayzoh.org/blog/partners/mette-synnove-brathe-a-viking-spirit-a-timeless-bond/): Mette Synnøve Bråthe is Ayzoh!’s main point of contact in Norway, especially when working with coastal communities and organizing maritime workshops. Because sailing is not a metaphor. For Mette, it’s a practice, a job, and a way of standing in the world. As a professional sailmaker and founder of Sybrasail, Mette works where precision is non-negotiable. Her workshop in Isegran—a small island community shaped by shipbuilders, sailors, and wood—has become a trusted place for those who still understand boats as living things. Her hands know how to read fabric, wind, and wear. Nothing in her work is decorative. Mette doesn’t perform […]
- [Camp Erech Project — Report from Stage One](https://ayzoh.org/blog/stories/camp-erech-project-report-from-stage-one/): The first phase of the project is now complete: the journey, our time living in Camp Erech, and the creation of the first body of work. At the center of it all is Riccardo — and his story. I’ll keep it simple. I’m grateful to have finally met him, to have shared daily life with him and his family (where matriarchy quietly but clearly sets the tone), and to have entered — fully and without filters — into many deep, often delicate conversations. I can now say without hesitation: this story needed to be told. They’ve all become deeply important to […]
- [Amazônia / Sebastião Salgado](https://ayzoh.org/blog/ispirations/amazonia-sebastiao-salgado/): The works of Sebastião Salgado, the renowned Brazilian photographer, played a significant role in my decision to become a photographer. Yesterday, after years of studying his photographs in books, I finally had the opportunity to visit one of his major exhibitions: “Amazônia,” currently held at the MAXXI in Rome, curated and set up by his wife, Lélia Wanick Salgado. In “Amazônia,” much like in the eponymous book published by Taschen, the over 200 exhibited photographs, captured over eight years, narrate his 48 journeys through the Amazon rainforest – the “Green Lung” of the world – in search of communities maintaining a […]
- [Upcoming Project: Camp Erech](https://ayzoh.org/blog/news/camp-erech-a-story-of-transformation-in-the-mauritanian-desert/): Camp Erech is an Ayzoh!’s social entrepreneurship initiative set in the heart of Mauritania’s Adrar Desert, Camp Erech is a place where personal transformation meets sustainable community impact. At the core of this project lies the extraordinary journey of Riccardo Yahya—a story of resilience, cultural fusion, and the power of storytelling to inspire change. The Journey of Riccardo Yahya In the 1990s, Riccardo De Biase was a renowned fashion photographer, working between Rome, Milan, and Los Angeles. However, after being diagnosed with a severe neurodegenerative disease, he made a life-altering decision—leaving his profession behind to embrace a completely different existence. He […]
- [A Stage for Learning: Filmmaking Workshop at Teatro Galli](https://ayzoh.org/workshops/youth-education-programs/filmaking-course-at-the-teatro-galli-in-rimini/): As part of the art event “The White Space of the Arts”, Ayzoh! organized a filmmaking workshop for the students of the Einstein High School inside one of the most iconic spaces in Rimini: the Teatro Galli. Working in a space like this isn’t just a privilege — it’s a learning experience in itself. The theater becomes both subject and setting: a place where stories are told and where young people are invited to tell their own. Teatro Galli: A Living Monument to the Arts Designed by the architect Luigi Poletti and inaugurated in 1857, the Teatro Galli is a symbol […]
- [Seeing Through the Hand: Why Calligraphy Matters at Ayzoh!](https://ayzoh.org/workshops/art-design/seeing-through-the-hand-why-calligraphy-matters-at-ayzoh/): At Ayzoh!, we believe that every form of art capable of training the eye and the mind is part of the same journey. Whether in the highlands of Guatemala or the valleys of Ethiopia, our work starts with learning to see — to observe with care, patience, and attention to what is essential but often overlooked. This is why we host and support workshops that might seem unrelated to documentary photography or fieldwork. In fact, they are deeply connected. A calligraphy workshop, for example, is not only about writing — it’s about rhythm, gesture, and detail. It teaches us how to […]
- [Chinese Calligraphy Course in Rimini](https://ayzoh.org/workshops/art-design/chinese-calligraphy-course/): Thanks to the cooperation of our friends from the Italy-China Association of San Marino, we held a calligraphy course at their headquarters in Rimini. Chinese calligraphy, known as “shūfǎ” (书法) in Chinese, is a revered and ancient art form that has been practiced for thousands of years. It involves the skilled and deliberate use of brush and ink to create aesthetically pleasing and expressive characters on paper or silk. Chinese calligraphy is not merely a method of writing; it is a profound cultural practice that embodies the essence of Chinese philosophy, art, and history. The art of Chinese calligraphy encompasses a […]
- [Avere Ubuntu](https://ayzoh.org/blog/behind-the-lens/luc-project/): In Hawassa, Ethiopia, Ayzoh! partnered with the local organization Let Us Change (LUC) to build a system of visual storytelling and advocacy aimed at helping LUC gain more resources for their work with children living on the streets. Beyond offering a safe home, LUC provides high-quality education for younger children and vocational training for teens, creating a space grounded in care, trust, and self-determination. The community at LUC is built around the principles of Ubuntu, a Southern African philosophy that values interconnectedness, mutual support, and dignity. Inspired by this way of living, we co-designed a project with the children: a photographic […]
- [Gloria Lisi: A Voice We Trust](https://ayzoh.org/blog/partners/gloria-lisi/): Gloria has played a key role in Ayzoh!’s story. Since her time as Deputy Mayor of Rimini, she has supported our work with steady trust and without asking for anything in return. What began as an institutional relationship became a lasting friendship. Although Ayzoh! remains apolitical — we care about actions, not ideologies — we chose to back Gloria’s electoral campaign. It’s something we’ve never done for other political figures, in order to stay independent and avoid conflicts of interest. But with Gloria, we felt safe. We’ve never doubted her integrity. Her strength lies in her consistency. She doesn’t compromise her […]
- [Flames, Memory, and Youth: A Workshop During La Fogheraccia in Rimini](https://ayzoh.org/workshops/youth-education-programs/la-fogheraccia-photography-and-video-course-in-rimini/): Every year, on the night of January 16, the city of Rimini lights up with the flames of La Fogheraccia — an ancient ritual celebrated on the eve of Saint Anthony the Abbot, protector of animals and guardian of rural life. For the students of the Einstein High School, this year’s Fogheraccia became something more than a tradition to watch. Through a photography and video workshop organized by Ayzoh!, they were invited to observe, document, and interpret this ritual with fresh eyes — transforming a familiar event into a field of storytelling, reflection, and creative expression. A Fire Older Than the […]
- [Photography and the Territories of the Other](https://ayzoh.org/blog/behind-the-lens/la-fotografia-e-i-territori-dellaltro/): Members of the Vadoinafrica community know that visibility matters. Whether you’re sharing a project, promoting an initiative, or raising awareness, including one or more photographs can help slow the scroll—drawing the eye, sparking interest, anchoring attention. A good image can make a message linger /  read the handbook But here’s the challenge: Many of the projects shared within this vibrant, 13,000-member network — whether entrepreneurial, nonprofit, or somewhere in between — are aimed at individuals facing hardship, transition, or systemic injustice. And in these situations, the pursuit of visibility can come into conflict with the ethical imperative of fair and dignified […]
- [We Are Nebua](https://ayzoh.org/blog/behind-the-lens/we-are-nebua/): Introduction by Aida Aicha Bodian, founder of Nebua World / Made in collaboration with Leica Camera Italia I love stories. I believe in their weight, their quiet power. Each of us carries one—extraordinary in its simplicity, or ordinary in its brilliance. What matters is that it exists, that it’s unique, and that at least once, it’s allowed to be seen, heard, and told. That’s why I asked Ayzoh!, and their exceptional photographers, to create We Are Nebua—this magalog. A space where presence becomes narrative, where faces and names are honored without filters, where complexity is allowed to speak. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s […]
- [Terra! / Cooperazione Contadina](https://ayzoh.org/blog/behind-the-lens/cooperazione-contadina/): For most of human history, farming was not a sector. It was a way of living, of relating to time, to others, and to the land. It shaped knowledge, language, rituals, food systems, and social bonds. Today, small-scale farming still sustains much of the world—quietly, steadily, and with dignity. Terra is a publishing project born from the encounter between Ayzoh! and Cooperazione Contadina, a cooperative of farmers and herders in the Tuscia Maremma region of Italy. They practice organic agriculture and social farming, creating a space where cultivation is not only ecological, but relational. Where the land is not only productive, […]
- [Not Even the Wind Listened](https://ayzoh.org/blog/stories/we-prefer-the-words-of-the-wind-the-rimini-protest-against-the-war-in-ukraine/): Yesterday in Rimini, two protests against the war in Ukraine took place. One was held under the Arch of Augustus, organized by political parties and associations. The other gathered quietly at the Tiberius Bridge, called by the local Ukrainian community. We were there with our cameras. We were asked to write something. We won’t. Not out of detachment, but out of respect—for the complexity of things, and for the limits of our voice. Instead, we prefer to let the images speak. Here’s why. First: As photographers, we’ve witnessed the consequences of war. But we’re not war experts. Our job is to […]
- [Vibrating without knowing why](https://ayzoh.org/blog/stories/vibrating-without-knowing-why-my-first-trip-to-ethiopia/): Just before departing for my inaugural venture in Ethiopia (for the Afar Textile Project), my colleagues at Ayzoh! had cautioned me: “Be careful, it’s a country that enchants you, but you’ll never quite grasp why.” How true it was… The animals calmly crossing the road. The scamper of monkeys across rooftops. Journeying in the backseat alongside a chicken, for 400 km. Ten push-ups after conceding a goal from the opposing team. The sun scorching on your skin, and rain drenching you moments later. The infectious rhythm of music, of dance. The shouts of people gathering trash, waking you at six in […]
- [Kindness in the Midst of the Storm](https://ayzoh.org/blog/events/kindness-in-the-midst-of-the-storm/): On the evening of January 17, 2020, the walls of the Church of San Nicolò al Porto in Rimini became silent witnesses to a singular act of faith. Dance became prayer, memory, and a gesture of welcome — a way for the Gospel to speak through bodies marked by exile and grace. The occasion was the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, an international ecumenical event held every January, where different Christian denominations come together to reflect, pray, and seek common ground. That year’s theme, drawn from the Acts of the Apostles (28:2), was striking in its simplicity: “They showed us […]
- [The Coming Together](https://ayzoh.org/blog/behind-the-lens/the-coming-together/): The Coming Together is a photographic book born from a twenty-year collaboration between Ayzoh! and Movimento Centrale, a dance and social theater collective based in Rimini, Italy. It brings together movement, philosophy, and visual experimentation to explore a fundamental question: what does it mean to live in conscious relationship with others—without giving up who we are? This project is not about spectacle. It’s about presence. Each page reflects years of embodied research in dance and community practice, interpreted through Claudio Maria Lerario’s infrared photography, where bodies dissolve into energy, emotion, and trace. There is no stage. No makeup. Just raw light […]
- [Foto/Industria 2019: Photography in the Age of the Technosphere](https://ayzoh.org/blog/ispirations/fotoindustria-2019-technosphere-photography/): There are exhibitions you visit with curiosity. Others, you carry with you. Foto/Industria 2019, held across Bologna and curated by the Fondazione MAST, belongs to the latter. For those of us who live photography as a way of listening — to people, to space, to history — this biennial wasn’t just about industry. It was about how the world is built. And by whom. Four photographers from Ayzoh! — Elisa Amati, Dorin Mihai, Giulia Zhang, and myself — were present. Not by design, but by necessity. This was an exhibition about why we photograph. The Technosphere: What We Build Around Ourselves […]
- [Through the Curtains of the Unseen](https://ayzoh.org/blog/events/through-the-curtains-of-the-unseen/): A dreamlike homage to David Lynch’s haunting universe — where dance becomes the medium for decoding silence, shadows, and the subconscious. There are works that don’t just tell a story — they unsettle reality. David Lynch’s Rabbits is one of them: a disorienting video piece where humanoid rabbits move through a dark living room, repeat cryptic lines, and pause for inexplicable laugh tracks. Created in 2002 and later integrated into Lynch’s film Inland Empire, Rabbits has become a cult object of study for cinephiles, psychologists, and artists alike. It is an experiment in time, perception, fear, and abstraction — a slow-motion […]
- [Navimeteo & Ayzoh!](https://ayzoh.org/blog/partners/corso-di-meteorologia-navimeteo/): Today we celebrate 10 years of collaboration with Navimeteo, the first established company to believe in and support Ayzoh!’s mission. To mark the occasion, we’re republishing (trailer and 16 video covers, one for each chapter) the very first project we developed for them — a marine meteorology course for which we handled every detail: strategy, photography, video, and design. Navimeteo has since become a global center of excellence in personalized weather services, supporting boats and ships across every sea on the planet.
- [Rimini: A Safe Harbor for Voices in Transit](https://ayzoh.org/blog/events/rimini-porto-sicuro/): Rimini Porto Sicuro (Rimini Safe Harbor) was an event organized by the City of Rimini — thanks to the initiative of Deputy Mayor Gloria Lisi — in partnership with Associazione Arcobaleno. Held on Thursday, June 20, 2019, the program unfolded from 6:00 PM until late into the night, bringing together a wide range of performances by prominent Italian artists. The event marked World Refugee Day, an annual occasion established by the United Nations to recognize the struggles and resilience of people forced to flee their homes. That evening, Rimini’s port became a stage for six hours of live music, dance, and […]
- [UNESCO International Dance Day 2019 in Rimini](https://ayzoh.org/blog/events/movimento-centrale-unesco-international-dance-day-2019-in-rimini/): On April 29, 2019, Ayzoh! joined Movimento Centrale in Rimini to celebrate UNESCO’s International Dance Day — not with a show, but with a living, breathing act of community. No stage, no audience, no boundaries. Just a public square, a sound system, and an open invitation to move. What happened that day speaks to the heart of our work: moments when art steps out of its frame and becomes a shared human gesture. A Day for Movement, for Everyone It’s a day when rhythm, expression, and energy fill streets, theaters, and squares — transcending barriers of culture, age, and background. Dance, […]
- [Artisti in Piazza – Pennabilli as an Open-Air Manifesto](https://ayzoh.org/blog/events/artisti-in-piazza/): For four days each year, the town of Pennabilli becomes something else—something that exists outside of time, yet deeply anchored in place. It becomes a stage. A gathering. A collective breath. Since 1997, Artisti in Piazza has grown into one of the most significant street performance festivals in Europe, welcoming over 40,000 visitors per edition and more than 350 shows, concerts, and spontaneous acts. But numbers don’t tell the real story. The real story unfolds in the alleys at dusk. In the silence before a violinist plays on a wooden cart. In the laughter of a child who has never seen […]
- [Dialogo Silenzioso: the Book](https://ayzoh.org/blog/behind-the-lens/dialogo-silenzioso-book/): In Dialogo Silenzioso, dance — the most ancient of the arts — meets Ethiopia, a land where rhythm shapes every gesture and tradition breathes through motion. This book is the result of a collaboration between Ayzoh! and Movimento Centrale, under the patronage of the Ethiopian Embassy in Rome, the Municipality of Rimini, the Emilia-Romagna Region, and the University of Bologna. More than a document, the book is a journey of reflections and images, where the voices of choreographers, philosophers, dancers, and photographers converge. Among them is Jean-Luc Nancy, whose philosophical insights help frame this silent yet powerful exchange of gestures and […]
- [Dialogo Silenzioso: the Exhibition](https://ayzoh.org/blog/events/dialogo-silenzioso-exhibition/): Dialogo Silenzioso is a collaborative project by Ayzoh! and Movimento Centrale, where dance — the mother of all arts — encounters Ethiopia, land of rhythms and cradle of humanity. Here, it reveals the ancestral beat of a universal language. Sponsored by the Ethiopian State through its Embassy in Rome, the Municipality of Rimini, the Emilia-Romagna Region, and the University of Bologna, the project also welcomed the participation of philosopher Jean-Luc Nancy, one of the most influential thinkers of our time. The Journey The caravan of Dialogo Silenzioso departs from Rimini, home of Ayzoh!, and travels toward Ethiopia. Through a book, an […]
- [That shadow behind us](https://ayzoh.org/blog/behind-the-lens/that-shadow-behind-us/): In the southern Ethiopian city of Hawassa, something unexpected is taking shape behind prison walls. Through a partnership between Ayzoh! and the local organization Harrisho, a small but powerful project has begun to redefine the role of incarceration—turning it from punishment into possibility. Here, prisoners learn to craft handmade goods that are sold in hotels and resorts across the region. The income generated is split equally, and every participant has a personal bank account. From there, they can withdraw money to cover personal needs or send support to their families on the outside. It’s a simple idea with profound consequences: a […]
- [Hilario German Baggini: Musician and Composer](https://ayzoh.org/blog/partners/hilario-german-baggini-musician-and-composer/): In the world of Ayzoh!, sound matters as much as image. It shapes the atmosphere of a scene, lingers between spoken words, and gives space to what can’t be said. For years, Hilario German Baggini has been crafting these soundscapes. An Argentine composer and musician, he doesn’t just write music for our films—he listens to them. Often composing in real time as he watches the footage, Hilario gives voice to the unspoken, creating emotional layers that move with the story rather than explain it. Based in Córdoba, Argentina, Hilario brings decades of experience and a deep understanding of South American musical […]

## Pages

- [Education Programs](https://ayzoh.org/educational/education-programs/): Education ProgramsEmpowering Local YouthLearn more At the heart of Ayzoh!’s mission lies a distinctive commitment to empowering local youth, fostering genuine partnerships that transcend traditional narratives. Across continents, from the bustling streets of Ethiopia to the vibrant favelas of Brazil, from the highlands of Guatemala to the deserts of Mauritania and Burkina Faso, we have collaborated with young people who are often overlooked by society. Together, we have created publications that are not only visually striking but also deeply personal and transformative. Learn more Storytelling as a Tool for Self-Discovery Photography, video, and writing more than a creative outlet; it is […]
- [Field Experiences](https://ayzoh.org/educational/field-experiences/): Field ExperiencesLearn by doing. Create by listening. Travel with purpose. Learn more At Ayzoh!, we don’t run photo tours. We build stories. Our field workshops are immersive, collaborative experiences where learning becomes action, and storytelling becomes a tool for justice. Every journey is tied to a real, ongoing project — with small, often overlooked communities that invite us to see the world through their eyes. Learn more Where Stories and Action Meet These are not simulations or staged encounters. They are living collaborations, where participants contribute their skills — and grow through direct, grounded engagement. Whether you’re a photographer, a filmmaker, […]
- [Online Courses](https://ayzoh.org/educational/online-courses/): Online CoursesTailored storytelling labs for changemakers, creatives, and organizations. Learn more Ayzoh!’s online courses are immersive, fully customizable learning paths designed for individuals or groups who want to develop a real-world visual storytelling project — from concept to publication. Whether your goal is a book, a web feature, a digital magazine, or a photo exhibition, we’ll guide you through every step of the process. Learn more What You’ll Learn Created especially for those working in humanitarian, social, or cultural communication, our labs cover the ethical, creative, and technical aspects of storytelling — always adapted to your resources, skills, and goals. Participants […]
- [Educational](https://ayzoh.org/educational/): Maramureș / 28 July – 2 August 2026Photographing the village beyond nostalgiaLearn more Ayzoh! offers immersive learning experiences for those who want to travel with purpose. From on-the-ground workshops in remote communities to tailored programs for schools and institutions, and hands-on online courses — every path we open leads to real stories, real impact, and real people. Join us where storytelling meets action. Overview Field Experiences Live and learn in the field, alongside Ayzoh!’s team and local communities. Real-world experiences where storytelling meets social impact, far from tourist paths and closer to real lives. Learn more Online Courses Highly personalized online […]
- [Support](https://ayzoh.org/support/): How to Support Ayzoh!Three ways to be part of this journey.Learn more Whether you buy a print, become a member, or partner with us, you’re joining a global network of people who believe in the power of storytelling, dignity, and shared work. Every contribution helps us walk alongside underserved communities and amplify their voices. Choose the path that feels right to you — and know that you’re part of something built with care, trust, and long-term vision. Prints for Belonging Bring home a powerful image — and support those behind it. Each print funds our work with underserved communities around the […]
- [Current Projects](https://ayzoh.org/current-projects/): Current ProjectsStories that Matter, Crafted from Within.Learn more At Ayzoh!, we often work on multiple field projects at once. We keep our community and supporters updated through our magazine, newsletter and social channels as each story unfolds. If you’re looking for past work we’ve completed — and the books or reports we’ve published — head over to our publications page. From April 2026 Afar / Bag of Stories Ayzoh! curates image, identity, and editorial content for Afar, with a special focus on A Bag of Stories, the magazine we produce and edit for the brand. Through stories from different parts of […]
- [Thank you](https://ayzoh.org/thank-you/):   Thank you! Your message has been sent. We’ll get back to you shortly. In the meantime check our our latest publications or read more about us.
- [Membership](https://ayzoh.org/membership/): Become a member Join Ayzoh! Becoming a member of Ayzoh! means choosing to act, to connect, and to stand with communities whose voices deserve to be heard. This is not charity: it is solidarity. It is action. It is commitment. Your membership says: I believe in this. I support this. I am part of this.  Step In – Make an Impact What You Really Support A meaningful connection with the people and stories behind Ayzoh!’s projects — not as distant observers, but as part of something living, vulnerable, and real. Each story we share is born from time spent in the […]
- [Credits](https://ayzoh.org/credits/): Our photographic works, projects, and publications are always signed collectively, reflecting the spirit of shared authorship that defines Ayzoh!. Whether it’s an award-winning photographer or a child from the street, all names are acknowledged where possible. However, we do not specify who took which photograph. This anonymity emphasizes that every image is part of a larger, shared narrative. For us, what matters is not individual recognition, but the stories we create together. Website / code, UX, design Ayzoh! Media Lab + Leratech Solutions Photographs and videos Unless otherwise stated, all photos are by Ayzoh! photographers: Elisa Amati, Claudio Maria Lerario, Dorin […]
- [Terms of Service](https://ayzoh.org/terms-of-service/): This website is operated by Ayzoh APS. Throughout the site, the terms “we”, “us” and “our” refer to Ayzoh APS. Ayzoh APS offers this website, including all information, tools and services available from this site to you, the user, conditioned upon your acceptance of all terms, conditions, policies and notices stated here. By visiting our site and/ or purchasing something from us, you engage in our “Service” and agree to be bound by the following terms and conditions (“Terms of Service”, “Terms”), including those additional terms and conditions and policies referenced herein and/or available by hyperlink. These Terms of Service apply […]
- [Privacy Policy](https://ayzoh.org/privacy-policy/): Welcome to https://ayzoh.org/ (the “Site”). We understand that privacy online is important to users of our Site, especially when conducting business. This statement governs our privacy policies with respect to those users of the Site (“Visitors”) who visit without transacting business and Visitors who register to transact business on the Site and make use of the various services offered by Ayzoh APS (collectively, “Services”) (“Authorized Customers”). “Personally Identifiable Information” refers to any information that identifies or can be used to identify, contact, or locate the person to whom such information pertains, including, but not limited to, name, address, phone number, fax […]
- [Donor Dashboard](https://ayzoh.org/membership/donor-dashboard/)
- [Donation Failed](https://ayzoh.org/membership/donation-failed/): We're sorry, your donation failed to process. Please try again or contact site support.
- [Donation Confirmation](https://ayzoh.org/membership/donation-confirmation/)
- [Contact](https://ayzoh.org/contact/): Get in touch We’re always eager to hear from you. Whether you’re interested in our projects, want to learn more about Ayzoh!, have questions about our work, or wish to explore partnership opportunities, please reach out to us at info@ayzoh.org. Ayzoh APS, Viale Principe Amedeo 11, 47921 Rimini, Italy Phone: +39 328 388 7347 Whatsapp: +39 366 822 1472 E-mail: info@ayzoh.org
- [Home](https://ayzoh.org/): skip render: ucaddon_owl_sliding_thumbs_gallery Ayzoh! is an independent nonprofit based in Italy. We are photographers, designers, writers, and researchers working with — not for — marginalized communities around the world. Since 2008, we’ve co-created dozens of editorial projects that celebrate dignity, memory, resistance, and freedom through photography and publishing | about us Latest publications All publications Latest from the magazine All articles News & Updates · Warren Sare’s photographs enter the African Culture Fund collection Events & Exhibitions · Every body a soloist Behind the Lens · The Alpini gathering Partners in Craft · Real Minero: because only the authentic endures Current […]
- [Book a One-Hour Session with Ayzoh! Experts](https://ayzoh.org/booking/): These sessions are your gateway to invaluable guidance: whether you’re seeking advice, solving a challenge, planning a complex project, or exploring opportunities to travel with us on real-world assignments. You can also use this time to design a custom workshop—one-to-one or group-based—to learn how to create impactful editorial projects in social documentary photography and beyond. Use the calendar below to schedule your one-hour conversation and take the next step toward realizing your vision.
- [Useful information](https://ayzoh.org/info/): L’ente AYZOH APS è ente non commerciale ed è iscritto nel Registro Regionale delle Associazioni di Promozione Sociale tenuto dalla Regione Emilia-Romagna ai sensi della L. 383/2000 e della legge regionale di riferimento. Per le persone fisiche, l’erogazione liberale è detraibile al 30% fino a € 30.000 (art. 83 comma 1 del D.Lgs. 117/2017) o in alternativa è deducibile nel limite del 10% reddito complessivo dichiarato (art. 83 comma 2 del D.Lgs. 117/2017). Per gli enti e le società, l’erogazione liberale è deducibile nel limite del 10% reddito complessivo dichiarato (art. 83 comma 2 del D.Lgs. 117/2017). AYZOH APS is a […]
- [DMCA - Copyright Act](https://ayzoh.org/dmca-copyright-act/): Welcome to https://ayzoh.org/ (the “Site”). We respect the intellectual property rights of others just as we expect others to respect our rights. Pursuant to Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Title 17, United States Code, Section 512(c), a copyright owner or their agent may submit a takedown notice to us via our DMCA Agent listed below. As an internet service provider, we are entitled to claim immunity from said infringement claims pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the DMCA. To submit a good faith infringement claim to us, you must submit the notice to us that sets forth the following information: Notice […]

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