“Chobi, chobi!!” Beyond photovoice: The taking and giving of pictures in Bangladesh

Purpose: What is the meaning of a picture? In the USA we have access to a myriad of electronic devices to take pictures. We think nothing of taking pictures and posting them on a social networking site such as Facebook within minutes. Or we take them to Walmart and use the kiosk to print out copies for family and friends. Photographs commemorate our lives. But what if you have no cameras? What if you never had a picture of your family, your child? Methods: A three week public health immersion experience for senior undergraduate nursing students in Bangladesh has been occurring since 2008. I have always been bothered by taking pictures but being unable to give a print to the person. Therefore, I brought along a portable picture printer. We were able to give pictures to families who had never before had them. The following year I bought an updated portable photo printer with a long-life battery. Results: Families knew that we could print out pictures for them, and we waited while they got dressed up in their best. Sitting in family compounds taking and printing pictures is an emotional experience; something so simple can mean so much. Implications: While our purpose was to learn about the Bangladeshi public health system, we became absorbed in giving families memories through photography. It became a powerful method to build a community partnership and has led to several photovoice projects that may be the basis of future health education programs.