Help me buy body armour so I can safely do my job in Egypt

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-me-buy-body-armour-so-i-can-safely-do-my-job-in-egypt

by dodyg • 13 years ago

7 11 13 years ago

beloch• 13 years ago

Let's see... Two weeks to raise the cash. How long does it take to get body-armor shipped out? I'm afraid this photo-journalist is going to miss the revolution (or brutal suppression thereof)! Also, why ask for charity to cover what should be priority job-related equipment for someone working in dangerous areas of the world? It's like an enthusiast snowboarder who thinks he's a pro asking for hand-outs to buy himself a brain-bucket. Either your job can pay for the equipment it requires or your job is really just your hobby.

Finally, if you're really in urgent fear for you life, would you start a two-week fund-raising drive or would you suck it up an pay the cash yourself to get it pronto? The amount of cash she's asking for could be put on the average person's credit card without a problem! When your life is on the line, would you really worry about racking up a little interest? This actually sounds like a scam to me.

dodyg5• 13 years ago

There are a lot of young freelance journalists operating in Cairo. They don't make enough money to pay for their equipment.

I am based in Cairo - this conflict is not going to end anytime soon.

anigbrowl3• 13 years ago

Raise prices or exit the market then. If you can't get paid adequately for your freelance work then it's probably superfluous; meanwhile there are other places and events that are drastically under-reported. I'd be more impressed if it were 'help me buy body armor so I can go somewhere that never gets photographed, but should.'

ics2• 13 years ago

This campaign will receive all funds raised even if it does not reach its goal.

She's probably hitting order as we speak. She's already recouped 2/3 of the cost and will probably get all of it. Being short on money while needing to protect possible expensive equipment, yourself, and while actually documenting violent outbreaks is hardly solved by sucking it up. Now, if they're sitting in a plush hotel room asking for cash to be enticed into using their fancy camera for something useful– then your sentiment would make more sense.

dodyg5• 13 years ago

I am a developer currently located in Cairo. Above link is not mine but what she says is true. Right now is probably the most dangerous time for journalist to cover clashes in Cairo.

In the past few days we have seen the emergence of AK-47 armed 'protesters' against the security forces. Usually protesters uses rocks and molotov cocktails to fight so journalists only have to worry about birdshots from security forces.

Egypt now ranks the 4th most dangerous place in the world fo 2013 http://www.cpj.org/killed/2013/

anigbrowl3• 13 years ago

It sucks that your country seems to be headed for civil war. What do you think would lower the probability of that happening?

dodyg5• 13 years ago

Egypt is not my country. I just been living here for the past 7 years.

The country is not going to have a civil war. There is not enough support for the Islamists to wage an insurgency at least on the African side of Egypt. There is already an insurgency happening in North Sinai but that's also because that area borders Gaza and Egyptian military is not allowed to deploy significant amount of soldiers and equipment due to Camp David Peace Agreement with Israel(edit typo).

Worse case scenario for the African side of Egypt is return to the frequent terrorist attacks that plague Egypt in the 90's and return to the harsh crackdown against the Islamist.

The most likely scenario is that the current security problems will get worse but a negotiated deal will be reached between the parties involved.

dodyg5• 13 years ago

She managed to hit her fundraising goal with 7 days to spare. Awesome.

Help me buy body armour so I can safely do my job in Egypt

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