Drake student's photos convey tsunami's destruction

By BETH LOBERG
REGISTER STAFF WRITER

November 19, 2005

Piotr Jakubowski has put one project before anything else in his life for almost a year, and this week it was unveiled on the other side of the world.

Jakubowski found out in September that one of his photos was to be used for the cover of the 64-page soft-cover book "Letters from Aceh," and that the president of Indonesia had written the book's foreword.

"After that, I got to working on how to get the book sold over here," he said.

Born and raised in Indonesia, Jakubowski, 19, is not your average Drake University student. After graduating from Jakarta International School, Jakubowski came to Des Moines two years ago to study advertising and play soccer for Drake.

He was at home in Indonesia last December when the tsunami hit an island north of his home in Jakarta.

"They had absolutely no warning," said Jakubowski.

A photographer in his spare time, Jakubowski said: "I wanted to get up there right away, but my parents wouldn't let me."

Shortly after the tsunami hit, his former school started a campaign called JIS CARES to raise money for schools that had been affected by the tsunami, particularly a school in Aceh.

Jakubowski returned to Indonesia, and he and one of his former teachers flew to Aceh.

"What made me stop in my tracks was when we got out of the car four miles inland and there was a 30-ton boat right there. Cars mangled beyond recognition — it was unbelievable," he said.

But Jakubowski said what surprised him the most were the children.

"It was quite unreal. You see all the destruction around, the emptiness of what was once a flourishing city. And then there's the kids. Laughing, playing, smiling, playing marbles. You'd think that nothing ever happened."

After Jakubowski returned to the United States, members of the JIS Cares committee decided that a book could help raise more money for schools. "Letters from Aceh" would detail some of the letters between JIS students and Aceh students. Jakubowski and others would contribute photographs.

"I realized that I didn't have money to give, but I could give my photography. . . . I thought maybe it would motivate people with money to help out," he said.

One of Jakubowski's first steps was contacting Drake's president, David Maxwell, who would go on to support the project.

"My wife, Maddy, and I were both struck by the humanity of the project — the sheer concept of hundreds of thousands killed is numbing, and impossible to visualize or accept emotionally. Piotr's project takes a microcosm of the disaster and makes it real and comprehensible, and brings it to reality in the words and pictures of those who were affected," Maxwell said.

Maddy Maxwell put Jakubowski in touch with Jan Kaiser, marketing director of the Des Moines Public Library, who has arranged for him to give a slide show and talk about the project. Jakubowski will be at the Franklin Avenue Library at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 2.

"We hope to have 20 books on hand for Piotr to sign," Kaiser said.

Jakubowski will also be on hand when the book and some of his photos and those of 12 other Indonesian artists are unveiled at a display at the Des Moines Project on Dec. 2.

"I'm still looking for sponsors to frame the other artists — hopefully something will happen by then," Jakubowski said.

Although he is not sure how many books will be sold in the United States, Jakubowski said he cares only about making a difference in his homeland.

"I have lost money making this book, but I don't care. So far, JIS CARES has raised $80,000 for charity, and when you buy the book from the Des Moines Project, 100 percent of the price goes to the charity. Also, the photographs will be on sale, and 50 percent of their price will go to the charity."

Jakubowski was on hand for the book's release in Indonesia earlier this week.

He said that more than 100 books have already been sold and a large-scale reproduction of the cover brought in $2,000.

"No matter what, I won't look back and regret the time I've put in to make this book happen. It's just a small thing I can do to help the people back home."
Piotr Jakubowski