Celebrating the World Photography Day on 19 August, African photographers tied to PhotoWaka Africa embarked on a project which they envision will change the global perception of Africans, African creatives, and the quality of their work.
Development Diaries learnt that the project, tagged ‘PhotoWaka Africa Summit’, with the theme, ‘Reframing the African Narrative’, was designed to bring to the attention of African creatives the need to change the African narrative through their art.
PhotoWaka Africa, which is a social enterprise focused on youth empowerment, creativity, and job creation, said that the idea behind the PhotoWaka Africa Virtual Summit was to explore the power and influence of photography in journalism, media, tourism, festivals, politics, SDG’s and its role in telling stories about Africa and Africans through visuals.
It was learnt that members of the community identified recurring problems in the African creative industry, for instance, myths like Africa being a barbaric tribe of bushmen, and Africa being a single state.
PhotoWaka Africa also announced the intention to initiate an ‘African kind of Shutterstock’ to promote authentic and rich African content and stories by Africans for the world.
‘We are owning these spaces and taking control of the narrative through these channels’, the founder and Executive Director of PhotoWaka Africa, Eti-Inyene Godwin Akpan, said.
He added that PhotoWaka Africa was seeking partnerships and sponsorships from like-minded organisations to make the campaign a success’,
The World Photography Day is an annual event recognising and celebrating all kinds of photographers: experienced, inexperienced, or nearly experienced. The day celebrates the art, craft, science and history of photography around the world.
Source: Ynaija
Photo source: PhotoWaka Africa
