Community Projects - Haralds House Documentary.

Award winning photographer, Steve Rutherford has been shooting a documentary for Haralds House, a very special chariry organisation in Cairns, run by Harald Falge OAM.

For the past 17 years, Harald and his team of over twenty volunteers have been feeding, clothing, counselling and attempting to temporary rehouse and protect the homeless kids of Cairns via a mobile food van, parked on a city street each night. In those 17 years, not a single night has been missed, rain, hail, shine (even in the threat of Nth Qld's notorious cyclone activity), including Xmas, New Years Eve and other significant events.

The main aim of the project is to raise the remaining $400,000 (of a $1Million target) to allow a multi room shelter to be constructed in Cairns, with sufficient facilities, to allow, in particular the younger children, a safe haven from a place they should never be, a street or alleyway at 3am. This would allow the Haralds House team, a safe, secure place to continue to operate.

The project involves a large and detailed photographic essay, highlighting the personal hardships and success stories of children who have been abandoned by their parents and are living and surviving on the streets of Cairns. Some as young as only 9 years of age. Emphasis for personal stories has been placed on those older youth, who have been helped to rebuild their lives to become, in some instances, lawyers and successful business people, over the past 17 years.

The project commenced its administrative requirements in December 2008, with capture continuing through May 09 and on into late 2009. Images captured will then be produced into a coffee table book, and a small collection of images for a travelling exhibition in 2010. The book launch is expected to take place nationally in mid 2010.