Two Sudanese photographers have won the top prizes for telling war stories, and showing resilience in challenging security times in their country.
Hassan Kamil took home the top stories prize at the 2024 East African Photography Award (EAPA) competition for his captivating work, ‘An Unexpected Tale from A No Longer Forgotten City.’
Chosen from a pool of submissions from across the region, Kamil’s collection of photographs are a chilling reminder of the consequences of civil unrest through his depiction of a new life away from his home in Khartoum, judges said.
Kamil’s photographs helped audiences draw links to how changing environments have a direct impact on all aspects of personhood.
Kamil went home with a Fujifilm X-T5 camera and XF 16-50 kit, courtesy of Fujifilm Middle East FZE.
Awab Elmisabh Ali Abdelrahim’s portrait, ‘Hanging Soul,’ winner of the Human category, was also selected as the overall Single Image winner. The image captures the raw emotion of Ammar’s grief and depression following the loss of his father.
Through this personal portrayal, the photograph speaks to the universal experience of loss, resonating with viewers through its vulnerability and emotional depth, a winning note indicated. Awab took home a Fujifilm X-T50 camera and XF 16-50 kit, courtesy of Fujifilm Middle East FZE.
EAPA 2024 was judged by a jury composed of regional and international photography professionals including Sebah Chaudhry, Producer and Curator; Martin Kharumwa, Photographer and Gallerist, Luis Tato, Photo Editor AFP, Maggie Soladay, Photo Editor at The Open Society Foundations and Asha Iman Veal, Associate Curator at The Museum of Contemporary Photography.
EAPA, now on its seventh year, is open to East African visual storytellers. It celebrates documentary and artistic work that reflects the contemporary existence of people, the planet, and other stories of life in East Africa.
The Uganda Press Photo Award (UPPA) invited photographers to submit work under the theme “Witness”. Last year saw a rise in online social advocacy fueled by photography. Many used social media to share images that raised awareness about issues like infrastructure, healthcare, and accountability.
Hajarah Nalwadda submitted her story “Lost”, which captures the devastating aftermath of an attack by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels on Mpondwe-Lhubiriha Senior Secondary School in Nyabugando village, Kasese District in western Uganda.
The photo brought to light the tragedy and human cost of the attack, offering a haunting yet important visual narrative of the community’s grief and resilience.
Nalwadda returned home with a Fujifilm X-T50 camera and XF 16-50 kit, courtesy of Fujifilm Middle East FZE.
UPPA 2024 was judged by a jury composed of regional and international photography professionals including an Independent Curator, Martha Kazungu, Photographer Ala Kheir and Photo Editor Anne Nwakalor.
The 2024 Young Photographer Award (YPA) went to Barbara Mercy Leni. She received a Fujifilm X-S20 camera with XF 16-50 kit, courtesy of Fujifilm Middle East FZE.
She also got an invitation to participate in next year’s Emerging Photographer Mentorship Programme, where she will have the opportunity to further develop her project and showcase her work during UPPA 2025.
This year’s YPA edition was judged by photographers Zahara Abdul, Dennis Kimbugwe and Miriam Watsemba.
