Turning the Camera Back

There is limited literature describing the methodological andpragmatic considerations that arise when conducting participatory action researchutilizing Photovoice with children, particularly within sub-Saharan Africa. We provide acase example of these considerations based on a qualitative exploratory design that wasconducted in June 2010 with 13 children between the ages of 12 and 18 years who wereorphaned and living with HIV in a group home setting in Western Uganda. The main purposeof this study was to explore the children’s experiences while including them in aparticipatory way utilizing Photovoice to share their stories, define their issues, andpropose their own solutions. Conducting research in another country where language andculture are different from the researchers’ can pose many unique methodological,epistemological, and ethical challenges. These issues are discussed by reflecting on theprocess of the study. Key lessons will also be discussed regarding the methodologicaland pragmatic considerations with the aim of providing new insights for researchers whowant to conduct research in a cross-cultural and multilingual setting