Red Cross marks 30th anniversary in Nigeria with photo exhibition

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) held a photo exhibition on April 27 in Abuja, in recognition of the 30 years of its work in Nigeria. The exhibition Through their eyes included a collage of 50 photographs taken by young people living every day with the consequences of armed conflict or violence.

“The exhibition puts the spotlight on what has always been at the heart of our work over the last 30 years – the voices of people who have been affected by armed conflict or violence”, said Eloi Fillion, ICRC head of delegation in Nigeria.

“The collection of amateur photographs was taken by teenagers whose lives have been irrevocably marked by the consequences of violence, from being separated from their families to being forced to flee their homes. The photographs provide an authentic and unedited account of the humanitarian challenges many Nigerians are facing today.”

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The exhibition features the work of almost 30 teenagers in Maiduguri and Port Harcourt with whom the ICRC worked on two photography projects in 2016 and 2017. Their photographs express their surroundings, their longing for lost family and feelings of pain and hope. The short documentary, “Not Forgotten,” which premiered at the event, introduced in more detail the stories of some of the young photographers featured at the exhibition.

“The reason I took this photo is that I want to show the world how people in our community work hard to get food to eat”, said Mercy, who lives in one of the shanty communities in Port Harcourt.

The exhibition was attended, among others, by the representatives of the Nigerian institutions that the ICRC has been partnering on different projects over the years, such as the Nigerian Red Cross Society, armed and police forces and representatives of the Nigerian government.