Computer theft threatens Nancy McGirr's children's project

When Reuters photographer Nancy McGirr decided to give up the news rat race and devote her life to rescuing poor children from real rats in the Guatemala City garbage dump, she knew it would be tough.

Now, 20 years later and with hundreds of kids rescued from the dump, introduced to photography and sent to school, things just got tougher for her Fotokids educational charity.

Thieves broke into the Fotokids building in Guatemala City early one morning last month and stole 20 Apple Mac computers worth $25,000. McGirr, who is American, and her dedicated staff of helpers use the computers to teach their poor students digital imaging, graphic art, video and other technology skills to help them escape the poverty trap.

“The Fotokids graduates have a design studio, Jakaramba, where they outsource their talents in web design, brochures, and photography that has been difficult to manage without the computers,” she said.

Tony Winning, who was Latam Editor in the late 1980s when McGirr​ was a star photojournalist in Central America, learned about the break-in from her latest Fotokids newsletter.

"I've visited the Fotokids facility in Guatemala and was truly impressed by the dedication of Nancy and her staff, some of whom were kids she rescued in the early days and have gone on to university. I've been supporting Nancy's charity for a number of years now."

The Reuters Foundation has also been a supporter of the Fotokids charity, which has staged photo exhibitions by its budding young photographers all over the world, including in London.

PHOTO: Nancy McGirr is shown in sunglasses with student Maria Concepcion taking pictures in Antigua Guatemala, the old capital. ■