Meet our phenomenal young photographers
This team from around the world will produce a photo-essay telling the story of what “safe” feels like to them and/or other children and young people in their community.
Obedine Flore is a third-year Software Engineering student at the African Leadership University, with a passion for education and community building. Throughout her educational journey, she has worked on various projects aimed at creating positive change in communities. One experience that stands out is her apprenticeship at Christine Revell Children’s Home, where she was involved in early childhood education and the mental well-being of the children.
Her inspiration to participate in the Safe Photography Project to End Violence Against Children and Young People stems from her desire to play an active role in her community and the world at large and to be the change she wants to see. Having witnessed some of the dangers children and young people face, her goal is to use photography as a universal medium to induce change and create safer communities worldwide.
Marrio Jones Ikirezi is a 22-year-old photographer in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Born to Rwandan refugees who fled the 1994 genocide, she has faced violence and insecurity throughout her life. In 2014, she lost her father to violence, and in 2021, she survived a traumatic kidnapping and sexual assault. These experiences left her feeling constantly unsafe until she discovered photography in 2022, which became her lifeline and coping mechanism.
She is pursuing a Diploma of Access to University Studies with the University of Evry, aiming to study photojournalism. She is also a student of the Lens On Life project, where she has been studying photography since 2022 in collaboration with Bright, a refugee-led organization based in Yaoundé, Cameroon. She joined the Safe Photography project to voice the silenced. Her goal is to inspire global action against the cruel treatment endured daily by women and girls, using her lens to drive change.
Ivy Marie Mangadlao is an early career writer and photojournalist from Butuan City, Southern Philippines. Her journey in journalism began in high school, where she contributed as a campus journalist. Today, she reports on climate change, environmental issues, culture, tourism, and community-driven stories, often immersing herself in grassroots communities.
The Safe Photography Project to End Violence Against Children and Young People holds a special place in her heart. As a visual storyteller, she has witnessed the significant impact that powerful imagery can have on people’s lives. Joining this project is her way of using her skills to advocate for vulnerable children and young people. She believes in creating a world where they can grow up free from violence and fear. Through this platform, she aims to shed light on their stories, raise awareness, and inspire change, ensuring that every child can live in safety and dignity.
Diego Francisco Sánchez Lázaro was born on March 30, 2001, in the Hospital San Vicente de Paul in Heredia, Costa Rica. He spent the majority of his childhood in a neighbourhood known as the Terraza de San Rafael de Heredia.
He currently lives in Los Ángeles de San Rafael de Heredia in Costa Rica. He studied professional photography and videography, and is dedicated to documenting life stories that narrate the experiences, relationships, and memories of Costa Rican personalities. The inspiration to participate in the “Safe” Project to End Violence Against Children is due to the importance of taking care of the current and future generations and the duty that we as a society have to provide better educational opportunities, better social opportunities, and better health opportunities. Ensuring their stability so that they can enjoy their childhood and adolescence, which is a unique and wonderful period in their lives.
Denis Taban, from South Sudan, currently living in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya is a young refugee, he is passionate about storytelling, particularly about refugee education, because he has faced many challenges in accessing education there. He doesn’t want other young refugees to endure the same struggles. He founded Fly Bring Smile, a refugee-led organization that trains young children in drawing, allowing them to express themselves and share their stories through art.
Additionally, he worked with Amala Education as a learning facilitator, guiding young refugees aged 14 to 17 in developing projects to address community issues and applying for pathway opportunities. These experiences fuel his passion to help others. Participating in the Safe Photography Project to End Violence Against Children and Young People allows him to highlight the resilience and challenges of young refugees in Kakuma, aiming to make a difference in his community.
Albert C. Reyes is a 20-year-old Advertising and Public Relations student from the Philippines. He is a self-taught street photographer who takes pictures to show the raw and unfiltered reality of life. He also loves doing short films with slice-of-life themes.
He grew up in a household where physical violence is induced to discipline a child. This made him motivated to participate in the Safe Photography Project to End Violence Against Children and Young People. He strongly believes that violence, in any form, is never a solution to discipline a child. Instead of good, this causes more harm and life-long traumatic experiences.
For Albert, the Safe Photography project is a powerful avenue to promote fostering a safe environment for children and young people and break the occurring chains of violence globally.
Abeauty Kaonga is passionate about telling ‘development’ stories through visual media. Born in Serenje District, Central province of Zambia, he currently lives in the capital city, Lusaka. He works there as a photographer and video editor for a company called Kalachi Pictures.
He believes that young people can hold leadership roles in any sector of life. He is a hardworking, self-motivated, and versatile individual who loves virtual artistry and media in all its various forms. As a young and energetic person, his goal is to see a well-informed and developed community. He was motivated to take part in this project because he believes it is possible to break the cycle of violence against children and young people – and that one step in this fight begins with him
Lisara Thapa Magar, based in Kathmandu, Nepal, has always been drawn to creative outlets like poetry, drawing, and painting but often found it challenging to translate visions onto paper. The love for photography began with the discovery of a grandfather’s analog camera. Even without film, hours were spent looking through the viewfinder and pressing the shutter button, imagining the images that could be created.
Today, film photography is a hobby, capturing real moments with the same enthusiasm. The inspiration to join the Safe Photography Project stems from a desire to evoke the same emotions experienced when viewing works by favorite photographers. The goal is to visually contribute to a cause close to the heart, raising awareness about the importance of children and young people feeling safe on their own terms.
Inessa Avanesova is an independent photographer and movie director from Yerevan, Armenia, who graduated as a cinematographer in 2022 with her documentary “The Soul,” about a woman who works as a cleaner but dreams of theater and dance (available on FilmFreeway).
Her photography journey began at 15, focusing on friends and street scenes. She studied at the Yerevan State College of Culture and TUMO Creative Center, honing skills in storytelling and sports photography under the guidance of Vicky Kalents, Hrant Khachikyan, and Tatev Vardanyan. Winning first prize in a college competition judged by Armenian photographer Zaven Khachikyan was a significant milestone.
Her early documentaries featured long, static shots. Currently, she blends conceptualism and documentary filmmaking to create photo essays about children and young people from Artsakh. A pivotal moment was seeing a boy on a bicycle without her camera, highlighting the importance of tools for creative expression. This inspired an exploration of how everyday items provide a sense of safety, reflecting themes from Hermann Hesse’s “Within and Without,” examining the philosophical aspects of loss and comfort in possessions.
Born in post-Soviet Yerevan, in an apartment filled with Soviet furniture and books moved from Soviet Baku in the eighties, this theme is a leitmotif. Her family preserved the feeling of home by maintaining a similar order of things. When she returns home, she immerses herself in a different atmosphere, enveloped by warm comfort and absorbed in the past. Now, history repeats itself with other families.
Aida is an eco-feminist and photographer based in East Africa. She is passionate about human rights for all, nature-based sustainable living and breaking out of the matrix. She is looking forward to claiming the humanity, space and identity of her community through the Safe Photography project, and living in a love based reality as opposed to one of fear. Her project is termed ‘The Places We can Be’.
