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In Memoriam: Alison Wright

 April 20, 2022 • 3 minute read

BRAC’s Statement on the Tragic Passing of Alison Wright

BRAC expresses its sincerest condolences to the family and friends of documentary photographer, author, public speaker, educator, and friend of BRAC, Alison Wright. Alison showcased BRAC’s work around the world through her brilliant photography and has documented the people our programs serve in a deeply personal and dignified way.

Her books include “Human Tribe”, “Face to Face: Portraits of the Human Spirit”, “The Spirit of Tibet: Portrait of a Culture in Exile”, “The Dalai Lama: A Simple Monk”, “Faces of Hope: Children of a Changing World”, and National Geographic Traveler books on China, London, and Great Britain. BRAC is honored to have our programs highlighted in Alison’s newest book “Women at Work: Grit and Grace”, to be published posthumously in June.

While Alison’s passing is a tragic loss to the countless friends she has made in every corner of the globe, her vibrant, adventurous, and caring spirit lives on through her art. When employees and friends of BRAC enter our New York City office, they are greeted by Alison’s photographs from Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Liberia, South Sudan, and Uganda, which cover nearly every inch of wall space—a now constant and beautiful reminder of the work Alison did, our mission, and its impact around the world.

Alison’s life mission lives on through her foundation Faces of Hope, which supports non-profit organizations she has worked with globally by creating visual awareness in order to create education and healthcare opportunities for women and children.

Alison’s obituary about her life and work can be at this link.

A Selection of Alison’s Photos of BRAC Programs

Liberia, Powell Town, Margibi County, 2022. Kumba Fiyah is a widow and lives in Powell Town. Her son and his wife, who were her primary caretakers fell prey to Ebola in 2015, leaving her to take care of her 8 grandchildren. She runs a small dry goods store adjacent to her home. Her livelihood has improved with the support of BRAC’s UPG program: she was able to build a small well for water and a new toilet in her backyard. Kumba has started a large cassava farm and a small vegetable farm on her property. She has been able to improve the living condition of her home with new concrete floors. She saves regularly through the VSLA program and her greatest accomplishment is that her grandchildren have started to return to school, her goal is that they should remain there. Kumba shows some of the goods in her dry goods shop.
South Sudan, 2014. Abau Flora (26), BRAC sponsored her tailoring livelihood, giving her sewing machine and training. She has three children and her husband is a day laborer.
Myanmar/Burma, Bago, 2016. Padonmar Myint. Leader of the VO, Village Organization, that meets twice a month to pay their BRAC loans back. She has six children in school (3 girls, 3 boys), and her husband is a policeman. She raises ducks, raising them outside and under her house. She gathers about 100-130 eggs a day and sells them in the market along with chickens and vegetables. She received a BRAC loan for $800 and bought 180 ducks. She helps pay for school for her children and hopes that they’ll be educated well so they can get better jobs than this.