In 2011, Game Changers photographer Andrea Francolini launched his charity, First School Pakistan, and built a school in a rural and mountainous part of the country. Here he talks to Gemma Acton about his philanthropy and photography career.
Gemma: From award-winning photography to philanthropist, Andrea Francolini is now helping girls in Pakistan who are going through their schooling. So, is he a game changer? Let’s find out. I’m Gemma Acton. Welcome to Game Changers.
Gemma: Andrea, it’s great to see you here in front of the camera for once, rather than behind the camera. We’d really like to hear more about the work you’re doing in Pakistan. How did you come to be involved in the first place?
Andrea: I went to Pakistan for the first time in 2008. I wanted to do a personal project related to photography, and so I visited the country, and I absolutely fell in love with the people, and it gave me an excuse to go back the following year to do another job. That’s where I saw a school for the first time. Now, I’m not new to seeing schools in remote areas, but for some reason, this one touched me a bit more. The teacher there touched me, too. And I just went to the local bazaar, bought some notebooks just to give it to the kids, and didn’t think much more of it. It’s only when I came home that I found out that my wife and I were expecting, that the penny dropped, and I said, ‘wow’
Andrea: I’d be disappointed if my daughter couldn’t receive an education just because of where she lived. So I ended up calling my guide to say, ‘listen, I have this idea, but I need to know how much you’re going to cost me so I can budget everything’. And he said, ‘Andrea, no more business between us. I’ll give you a hand. You stay with us at home, and we’ll make everything happen.’ And that was 13 years ago.
Andrea Francolini On The Future Of First School Pakistan
Gemma: So from a few notebooks initially, just bought at a bazaar, to what it is today, how much have you have you done for them? And what’s ahead?
Andrea: So we started, it’s improving the schooling conditions, like there’s one school that we’ve been following for eight years that had three classrooms made out of bricks and then four classrooms that were tents. But we’re at 2500 meters up in the mountains, so in winter-time, obviously, they can’t use it because it’s snowing. So, the first year, we took away the tents, and rented a house that was empty. The second year we built two classrooms. The third year, we built another two classrooms. And so, it kept on going.
And then one year, I remember coming back, and the principal, when he saw me, took me by the arm and said, ‘Sir, come and look.’ And he had this panel with five or six switches. Flicked on a switch, and there was one light bulb, which made no light whatsoever, but there was one light bulb. And now, five or six years after that, they have four light bulbs in every classroom. So it is improving, and it’s nice to see that, you know, kids can finally read, and they don’t have to sit next to the window or sit next to the door to be able to see their notebooks.
Gemma: And the benefit of you being a photographer is you’ve been able to document this journey. Do you look back in the pictures and does it have a real emotional impact for you looking at looking at the progress that’s been made?
Andrea: It does, because I see the progress. I see the kids growing, because a lot of them now have gone to secondary school. So I’ve seen them grow throughout the years. They recognise me. I always make little prints, and I give it to them the following year. And it’s really cute to see the reaction, especially of the girls, who are. They look at the picture, then they’re embarrassed about it, so they’re nice. There’s nice human reaction, since there’s the language barrier. And it’s also good to see that the locals embrace the idea. The first year I remember, one person asked me a certain fee, and then the following year, he asked me 50% of that fee, and I was like, ‘Did you rip me off last year?’ And then he said, ‘No, this year, you’re helping the school where my daughter is, so I’m helping you.’ And it’s great to see that the community, like everybody’s helping how they can. And that’s, I think it’s a great reward.
Gemma: Isn’t that wonderful? How you came to it through thinking about your daughter and her opportunities for education, and that gentleman as well had had a similar experience.
Andrea: You know, it’s amazing. The human, the humanity around it, is amazing. And as I said, there’s a language barrier. My guide’s there to translate and all that. But you know, you need a pat on the shoulder, you need a smile, you need something like this that I just told you, and you realise that it is important, and especially they understand the importance of it. The elders of the village. When I’m there, everybody comes down. You have your cup of tea or two, but everybody understands how important it is, and they’re helping, which is great.
Gemma: Andrea, photography is taking just some incredible places. We have the privilege of meeting some really interesting people here on the set of Game Changers from time to time. Are you up in the mountains in Pakistan, documenting this incredible experience? But also, you spend a lot of time on the ocean. Tell us about that part of the job.
Andrea: Yes, so I started photography 30 years ago, and I’m specialised in shooting boats. So, it is a very niche market. So, it goes from local regattas to the Sydney to Hobart, and then obviously other regattas in the Mediterranean or around Australia. So yes, it is a bit different. I’m out of my comfort zone when I’m in the mountains.
Gemma: Tell us about what’s different and difficult and exciting about shooting on the water.
Andrea: Well, first of all, you have to keep your cameras dry, which is, everybody laughs about it, but it is quite an important thing.
And then you’re dealing with mother nature, and you can’t control anything. It’s like any sporting event. But here you have to also deal with the water, the waves, what the boats are doing or not doing, and lack of wind, and it makes it difficult.
But I love it because you see beautiful places, you’re out in the outdoor, out in the open.
So, it’s great.
Gemma: Boat people are very passionate I find.
Andrea: Very passionate. Yes, there’s some colorful language happening every time. And being from an Italian background, I can understand the passion that’s, uh, that’s happening on the water. But yes, it is. It’s passionate, and it’s, I think the locations are great. You know, you’re calling Sydney Harbour your office, so it’s not a bad place.
Gemma: Not bad at all. Andrea, thank you so much.
Andrea: Thank you.
Check out Andrea’s charity here!