First Field Note.

They say Cairo never sleeps, and neither, it seems, does hope.

I’m writing this just days before the first shutter clicks open in our Cairo workshop—a dream that's taken root in refugee camps, borderlands, and now, the ancient heartbeat of Egypt. Dreaming Big With Cameras is a project born from the belief that when you place a camera in the hands of a child, you offer them more than a tool. You give them language—one that speaks without fear, one that doesn’t wait for permission.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors to date, we’ve been able to purchase 10 cameras for this workshop, ready to empower children to express what words often can’t. Every contribution, no matter how small, has helped bring us to this moment. To each of you—thank you. You didn’t just donate gear; you helped fund self-expression, dignity, and dreams.

This Cairo chapter is being run in partnership with Muslims in Need, an organisation whose work on the ground is as heartfelt as it is critical. Together, we’ll be guiding children—many of them displaced and living on the margins—through storytelling, light, and lens. It’s not about creating perfect photos; it’s about helping them see that they are seen.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing updates, images, and reflections from the field. Not everything will be tidy. But that’s the point. These stories aren’t curated—they’re lived.

With gratitude,
Liz