Foto Friendship connects children across cultures giving them a chance to listen and be heard.

As a year 12 student in 2014 Anastácio Maderia de Araújo was both a participant and assistant facilitator of the inaugural Foto Friendship project in Dili, Timor-Leste. In 2016 Anastácio officially joined the Foto Friendship team as the Timor-Leste facilitator.

As a high school student in 2010 Anastácio was selected by the Australian Federal Police to represent youth in Timor-Leste at a series of talks about the United Nations mission in Timor-Leste. In 2011 Anastácio was selected by the Japanese government to participate in the Kiniza Bond Project, a youth exchange project between Japan, Asia-Oceania and North America, as a part of programs to support Japan’s recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake. In 2016 Anastácio was selected to represent Timor-Leste at the Asian New Zealand Foundation conference in Dili an initiative that aims to build understanding between young people in Timor-Leste and New Zealand. In 2016 Anastácio was also selected to represent Timor-Leste by UNICEF at the 3rd Asia Pacific High-Level Meeting on Child Rights (HLM3) Youth Innovation Challenge in Kuala Lumpur.

Anastácio is also a talented performer having gained third place at a national singing competition in 2015. In addition to his role on Foto Friendship, Anastácio currently runs his own tourism business Total Timor Tours in Dili, Timor-Leste.

As a high school student in 2014, Eva Soares Gama was both a participant and assistant facilitator of the inaugural Foto Friendship project in Dili, Timor-Leste. In 2017 Eva officially joined the Foto Friendship team as one of the Timor-Leste facilitators.

As a junior high school student in 2012, Eva acted in the role of Kamala in Beatriz’s War, Timor-Leste’s international award winning first feature film. In 2017 Eva played a supporting role in the television series, Laloran Justiça, which broadcasted on Timor-Leste’s national television station, TVTL.

In 2018 Eva worked as an interpreter and guide for a group of Journalism students participating in a Charles Sturt University New Columbo Plan study tour in Dili. In 2019 Eva worked with Western Sydney University as an interpreter, translator and assistant producer on an online documentary, Mobile Stories, which aims to connect university students in Timor-Leste and Western Sydney.

Since 2014, Eva has visited and travelled throughout Australia on many occasions. In 2019 Eva participated in the Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication) units, Graphic Design Understanding the Principals and Image Design at Western Sydney University.