In a society bombarded by negative imagery and bad news, "Face the People", a unique multi-media exhibition honouring the work of voluntary community health workers, is a breath of fresh air.

As one moves around the exhibition engaging with the painted portraits, stories in text and photographs of each voluntary worker in their community their voices can be heard in the dvd which is part of the exhibition.

The health workers come from the areas in and around Cape Town, from Mitchells Plain to Strand, Salt River to Khayelitsha. In this exhibition you come face to face with people for whom the word 'care' is an activity rather than just a feeling. They were chosen by their local Health Committees for the good work they are doing to promote health in different ways in their communities. In the words of Christina Killian who has worked voluntarily for ten years feeding and teaching children about HIV/AIDS in Retreat: "You cannot just be a talker and not a doer".

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?

"Face the People" is a collaboration between cultural activist and portraitist Gabrielle Le Roux and film-maker and photographer Kali van der Merwe and Rita Edwards, head of the Social Capital Project of the Metro District Health Services of the Provincial Department of Health.

WHAT WAS THE PROCESS?

Once they had been chosen they each came to Gabrielle's house-cum-studio in Muizenberg where she interviewed them about their lives, the problems they face and the work they are doing to create solutions in their communities. Kali van der Merwe recorded the interviews and then they were transcribed.

Each person sat for a full day to have their portraits painted in oil by Gabrielle Le Roux, a process they described as very intense but affirming and worth it. They felt truly honoured and said that at they had never expected to be recognised in this way but were glad to know that they would now be remembered for all their hard work. She chose round canvases to do the portraits on "for a change".

WHO STUCK OUT FOR ME?

"All of the people nominated were inspiring and special and I felt very privileged to meet them. Their stories often moved me to tears and I'm not surprised when people tell me now that they find the exhibition moving. It really made me realise how much good work is being done unseen and unsung and how we can spur each other on to do more by listening to each others stories."

ABOUT THE ARTIST

In 2001 Gabrielle Le Roux, who used to run the Women's Media Watch, came up with the concept of doing portraits from life combined with first person stories. She has been creating bodies of work using this concept since then. She is self-taught as a portaitist and sees this work as cultural activism, a tool for advocacy and education as well as an alternative kind of documenting. She always paints from life and sees the process as the most important part as it is a way to affirm people and recognise them.

WHY THIS EXHIBITION

The project came about when the Department of Health decided to launch their Social Capital project and wanted to introduce the concept of social capital in a way that would be accessible. Through their tireless voluntary work which builds their communities, they can be seen as living examples of the qualities that build social capital, the idea for this exhibition came from Gabrielle Le Roux and Rita Edwards who heads the Social Capital project in MDHS.

It is a way for the Department of Health to pay tribute to people whose work enriches their communities and benefits society at large.

RELEVANCE OF THE CONCEPT

In a place of as many extremes of wealth and poverty and the sort of race and class divisions that we suffer in Cape Town, the concept of social capital is one that encourages unity and the finding of common ground. Within the Department of Health's Social Capital project the focus is on child survival, youth at risk and women's health.