If you are a frequent visitor to our website then you must have probably heard of Maria Okese’s story and how we tried to get a camera for many months with no luck. No luck until we found about Lensational, Uk and reached out to them to support this young woman’s dreams.
After several discussions with Lensational, a non-profit in UK supporting women with Cameras and photography skills to earn income – we decided to not only help Maria, but to help other girls like her in Rivers state.
SustyVibes and Lensational birthed the Street Dreams project to train 10 girls in Rivers state with documentary photography skills and also gave them cameras to take images and fulfil their dreams. We also did not end there; the training also created a working contract for the beneficiaries to get income on a quarterly basis when their pictures are sold by Lensational!
The training held on the 4th and 5th of November was generously supported by PIND Foundation and Jumia Nigeria, it also had top Nigerian documentary photographers like Bernard Kalu, Grace Ekpu, Matthew Smart and Bayo Omoboriowo (who is the official photographer to the President) as trainers.
The trainers used Lensational photography standards to teach the girls.
The training was intense, inspiring and highly refreshing for both trainers, organisers and the participants.
Because of Maria’s hearing and speaking disability, she had an interpreter all through the training and also had a one-on-one training with Matthew Smart of PIND Foundation days before the main training.
Now, Maria Okese has her camera and is able to take professional images. We are so proud of her growth and thank her for inspiring the Street Dreams Project and making other girls benefit from the programme.
We thank all partners and sponsors for ensuring the event went very well.