Ibali photo collective
Photography is a powerful tool in assisting an individual to engage in a deeper understanding of themselves and their world. Based on this, Ibali has been developed as a program that teaches photography to youth in Cape Town’s underprivileged communities.
South Africa is a country of huge potential but also of immense need, where many live in challenging circumstances and don’t have the opportunity to see beyond their immediate environment. However, when given the opportunity, these same young people have great potential to succeed, to see their lives and their world from a different perspective, and to positively impact their community.
Therefore, the primary purpose of Ibali, which means ‘story’ in Xhosa, is to empower young people by teaching them basic photography skills, creating a space for creative expression, and offering ongoing personal mentorship.
Through the medium of photography, the participants are then also encouraged to raise awareness about important social issues in their communities and voice their opinions and ideas. The photographs they generate and the stories they tell can act as a catalyst to bring about positive social change.
South Africa is a country of huge potential but also of immense need, where many live in challenging circumstances and don’t have the opportunity to see beyond their immediate environment. However, when given the opportunity, these same young people have great potential to succeed, to see their lives and their world from a different perspective, and to positively impact their community.
Therefore, the primary purpose of Ibali, which means ‘story’ in Xhosa, is to empower young people by teaching them basic photography skills, creating a space for creative expression, and offering ongoing personal mentorship.
Through the medium of photography, the participants are then also encouraged to raise awareness about important social issues in their communities and voice their opinions and ideas. The photographs they generate and the stories they tell can act as a catalyst to bring about positive social change.
Mission
The project has the following main aims:
• To provide participants with usable photography skills and tangible results in the form of a portfolio of work
• To foster growth in the participants and provide a platform for them to develop personally.
• To positively affect the participants’ communities by igniting discussion and debate, highlighting issues that need to be addressed, and encouraging relevant local organisations to get involved.
Beneficiaries
Participants are young men and women aged 16-25. Community partners help to identify candidates who are particularly at risk and who would benefit most from personal mentorship and interaction from positive role models. Furthermore, community partners will assist in selecting participants who have proven creative or artistic talent leading to a greater chance that the program could act as a catalyst to changing the trajectory of their lives.
The project has the following main aims:
• To provide participants with usable photography skills and tangible results in the form of a portfolio of work
• To foster growth in the participants and provide a platform for them to develop personally.
• To positively affect the participants’ communities by igniting discussion and debate, highlighting issues that need to be addressed, and encouraging relevant local organisations to get involved.
Beneficiaries
Participants are young men and women aged 16-25. Community partners help to identify candidates who are particularly at risk and who would benefit most from personal mentorship and interaction from positive role models. Furthermore, community partners will assist in selecting participants who have proven creative or artistic talent leading to a greater chance that the program could act as a catalyst to changing the trajectory of their lives.
