Where do you begin when a journey leaves a mark this deep?


In March 2026, I traveled to Zambia as the official photographer for Orange Babies, an organisation working towards an HIV-free generation by supporting the most vulnerable in Zambia, Namibia and South Africa. Eight days of donors cycling through communities, while I captured every moment, bearing witness to stories that needed to be told.



From the warm welcome of preschool children in Lusaka, to the Mothers Shelter in Lusuno, to the many projects we visited, to a sunset on the Zambezi river, to the final goodbye with the Champions who guided us through Ng'ombe. We sat with mothers, women, children, teachers and champions whose resilience left me speechless. Their eyes are piercing and deep. They look straight into yours. You wish every single one of them a beautiful future.


And between everything that was rawer than I could have imagined, there was this: rhythm, song, movement. Life celebrating itself in the middle of everything. This journey asked everything of me, as a photographer and as a human being.


The result is a book, now presented to the donors. A book created by an entire team, carrying a story I feel deeply honoured to have told.


The world comes alive through human connection. Through showing up.

Through truly seeing each other. This is that story.

Joyful elderly African woman laughing, wearing orange headwrap and matching top with beaded necklace.
Smiling young girl peering through metal window bars, wearing colorful patterned top, joyful expression.
Vibrant motion blur of African women dancing in colorful traditional patterned fabric dresses during a cultural celebration.

The choir and the dancers


What began in the heart of a slum has grown into something extraordinary. Competing against schools from across the country, the choir swept the national competition, winning award after award: Best Soprano, Best Tenor, Best Dancer, Best Conductor, Best Costumes. Their story is a reminder that true talent rises above circumstance.


Tekst: Fiona Hering | Orange Babies

Black and white photo of African women in traditional attire dancing energetically at a cultural celebration.
Blurred motion shot of women in vibrant colorful African print dresses dancing energetically at a traditional cultural celebration.

From the plane we were taken directly to this extraordinary place in Zambia. The rain broke loose, just like the dance and song. An explosion of energy, music, movement and colours. I felt such an intense gratitude. How can I do justice to so much beauty?

-Jill

Three African women in traditional colorful attire and feathered accessories perform a cultural dance ceremony.
Black and white photo of African schoolchildren in uniforms walking together on a dirt road near a concrete wall.
African woman in traditional attire stirring large steaming pot over open fire in rustic outdoor kitchen.
Three joyful women wave outside a colorful Sew Powerful Initiative building funded by Convoy of Hope in Africa.

A sense of belonging


Beyond providing quality education in shifts, as well as breakfast and a warm lunch, this school gives its children something even more important: warmth, love and a sense of belonging.


Tekst: Fiona Hering | Orange Babies

A family of six poses outside a vibrant blue building with a purple door in rural Africa.
Young African girl with hair buns sits against a weathered blue wall, wearing a pink shirt and orange shorts.
African women in colorful traditional clothing dancing outdoors on a sunny day in a rural village setting.

Mothers Shelter


In this rural community, women have almost no access to healthcare. Many are the sole providers for their families, making their health vital for everyone around them. Many give birth at home, and when something goes wrong, they walk kilometers, in labor, to reach the nearest clinic. The Mothers Shelter of Orange Babies offers pregnant women a safe place to stay in the final week before their due date, right on the grounds of a clinic with a dedicated delivery ward.

Woman sitting on a metal bed frame in a sparse room with two beds and a small window.
Child tending to a group of young goats under a tree on dry red soil in rural Africa.
Black and white photo of African children sitting together, with a young child in a jacket looking directly at the camera.
Black and white photo of African children smiling and raising hands in a classroom.

James Baldwin

‘The children

are always ours, every single one

of them, all over

the globe; and I am beginning to suspect that whoever

is incapable of recognizing this

may be incapable

of morality’

Black and white photo of African children eagerly reaching out their hands toward a visitor in a crowded outdoor gathering.
Young African child held by an older sibling, both wearing colorful traditional fabric clothing in a candid portrait.
Black and white photo of a man holding an umbrella standing on rocks in heavy rain with lush trees in background.
Black and white photo of a person holding an umbrella standing on rocks in heavy rain with lush trees in background.

Quiet strength


Zambia moves at its own pace. The rain falls like it means it. The land stretches wide and unhurried, carrying elephants, rivers and red earth beneath a sky that feels closer here than anywhere else.

And in the middle of all that wildness - life. A child wrapped close to its mother's heartbeat. A man standing in the storm, umbrella in hand, completely at ease. There is a quiet strength in this place that stays with you long after you leave.

-Jill

Three red elephants walk through lush green reeds beside a river with mountains in the background in Africa.
Group of people riding in the back of a truck on a rural road in Africa, waving and smiling at the camera.
A family of six poses outside a bright blue building with a purple door in rural Africa.

Every moment here feels like living inside a painting, like stepping into history itself. Tomorrow is not a given. The only thing that exists is now.

-Jill

African woman carrying baby on back and red bucket on head near brick building in rural village.
Black and white photo of African villagers pumping water from a communal well outdoors.
Student stands outside Orange Babies HIV awareness center in Africa, wearing school uniform.

STAND UP FOR GIRLS


With this prevention program, Orange Babies reaches girls between 3 and 22 growing up in slum communities marked by poverty, patriarchal culture and gender-based violence. Many are out of school, already disadvantaged from birth. The program brings them back to the classroom, and goes further. Girls learn to value themselves, set boundaries and believe in their own potential. Equal to boys in every way that matters.

Three girls in matching plaid dresses pose together smiling in a black and white photo before a painted mural.
Two African schoolgirls in uniforms stand attentively in a classroom, one holding a paper.
People queue outside a building under a banner in an African community gathering or voting event.
African children in colorful traditional attire playing large drums during a vibrant cultural performance.
A musician in colorful kente cloth plays a djembe drum with dynamic motion blur during a traditional African performance.
Man speaking into microphone on stage beside a fabric banner with handwritten text in black and white photo.
Five African schoolgirls in uniforms perform a lively skit in front of a colorful poster in a bright classroom.
Black and white photo of three joyful children waving and smiling from a bus window.
A family stands outside a small African shop with handwritten signs, fresh tomatoes and vegetables displayed on a wooden table.

Forgotten Streets


In the slums of Zambia, childhood is often measured not in years, but in survival. Tin roofs rattle in the rain while families sleep shoulder to shoulder on dirt floors, hoping tomorrow will bring food, clean water, or simply another chance. Yet somehow, amid the dust, hunger and silence of forgotten streets, children still laugh – reminding the world that dignity can survive even where poverty tries to take everything.


Tekst: Fiona Hering | Orange Babies

Young child standing in doorway of building in West Africa, with woman in colorful dress in background.
Four young children standing outside a rustic brick building in a rural African village setting.
Two African women and a baby walk past a blue door and weathered wall in a vibrant urban street scene.
Young African girl with bun hairstyle wearing pink shirt and orange shorts sits against a weathered blue wall.
Children and adults gather in a colorful outdoor playground in Haiti, with murals and a swing set visible.

CHAMPIONS


Young people between 10 and 24 are among those most affected by HIV, often unaware of their status, facing stigma, poverty and limited access to treatment. The Orange babies Champions are their peers. Carefully trained adolescents who grew up in the same communities. They use their knowledge and lived experience to drive real change. In schools and communities, they create safe spaces where young people can talk openly about sexuality, violence, mental health and poverty. They share stories, offer guidance and help prevent others from falling into the same patterns they once faced themselves.

The Champions don't just inform, they empower. And in doing so, they shape not only their own future, but that of their entire community.

Smiling man in shirt and tie stands by a blue Administration Office door labeled Head Teacher.
Two smiling African girls wearing backpacks and red outfits pose together cheerfully in an outdoor setting.
Three smiling African children peering through a rusty metal gate with orange bars.

A safe enviroment


This preschool supports 90 vulnerable, often orphaned children every day. It offers structure, education and care, and for many, the only guaranteed meals of the day. Breakfast and a hot lunch keep them focused, healthy and ready to learn. Many of these children have already carried burdens no child should carry, caring for sick parents in their final days. The impact runs deep. Here, they find safety, warmth and the space to simply be a child.

Black and white photo of African children sitting together, with a young child in a jacket looking directly at the camera.
Women and children in an urban outdoor space with colorful murals and a swing set in what appears to be Africa.
Young African girl with bun hairstyle wearing pink top and orange shorts, sitting against a weathered blue wall.

We rise by lifting others

Donate

If this story moved you, consider supporting Orange Babies. Every donation helps create a safer, healthier future for the most vulnerable in South-Africa, Namibia and Zambia.

A special thank you to Orange Babies, and in particular Fiona Hering and Anne de Graaf, for welcoming me into this extraordinary project. To Nikon, for sponsoring this journey with invaluable equipment. To Anilda da Cruz and Fiona, for their beautiful contribution to the design of the book. And to Nina and Manuela, thank you for your warm recommendation.

-Jill

Orange hardcover photography book lying flat on a wooden surface, showcasing its spine and textured cover design.
Open photography book on wooden table showing African community photos and portrait of woman in colorful floral dress.