He was catapulted to fame as a creator of an advertising campaign for one of the leading cigarette brands, but he’s turned over a new leaf in his life. Hannes Schmid is a photographer and philanthropist who is bringing relief to residents of Cambodia. “These were the most challenging four months in my life,” he explains in an interview, revealing how the local community is wrestling with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
- Celebrated around the world, the artist built from the scratch and now leads the organisation Smiling Gecko Cambodia. His objective is to free Cambodia from poverty after years of bloody civil wars and Pol Pot’s terror.
- “When we began wearing masks, people began staring at us like we were aliens. Local authorities find education meaningless. We need to change that,” argues Schmid.
- Today, Smiling Gecko Cambodia is raising funds for several hundred children and their parents who have been deprived of food, medication and learning materials as schools have been shut down in the wake of coronavirus pandemic
