AFRICA AWAKES OPENS IN FINLAND
(5th September 2008)
Professor Per Ashorn opened the Africa Awakes exhibition in Finland this week at the Global health symposium. The International conference saw a series of compelling images drawn from Africa taken by Manuel Scrima . The exhibition is part of the ICROSS NWI advocacy programme creating awareness about Africa, global health challenges and stigma. It is part of a campaign to educate and inform, changing stereotypes and negative images of Africa. As Hans Rosling said at the conference: " We have to stop thinking of 'we' and 'they', there is only US, we must stop the language we use , they are not developing countries, we are all growing, changing, evolving" .
AFRICA AWAKES challenges the way in which we percieve people. Anja Aarnio of the Tampere Conference Centre said she had never seen anything like the photographs before. At a time when many negative images colour popular views of Africa, it is we believe important to challenge assumptions and popular views. AFRICA AWAKES is a dynamic innovation that is growing and encouraging many people to ask questions, get involved and do something. Other images shared at the Global health symposium (programme) will be on view in Paris in November when a much larger presentation opens in . Dr Michael Meegan said at the opening: " We need to rethink the way we understand poverty and especially the poor, rethink where we have placed them in our minds and lives, realise we are one family".
If you would like to get involved in the AFRICA AWAKES programme or learn more about it please contact us at info@createafrica.com .
Prints, enlargements, limited editions, postcards and copies of these images are available through manuelscrima@gmail.com
and they will be soon available on www.createafrica.com.
Profits go to long term health and development projects of ICROSS and NWI.
See the pictures of the event here.
CREATE AFRICA BECOMES PART OF ICROSS
(2nd February 2008)
CREATE AFRICA, the Kenyan publishing house established as part of the
'Entrepreneurs in Africa' series in conjunction with the Ernst & Young
Entrepreneur of the Year Awards has been handed over to ICROSS
(International Community for Relief of Starvation and Suffering), a
charity operating in Kenya and committed to the eradication of
poverty.
Create Africa now has a range of 177 products – art prints, postcards,
greeting cards, posters, bookmarks and a calendar, all of which
reflect the beauty of Africa. The products are available through 200
shops in Kenya and online at www.createafrica.com . All proceeds from
the venture will now benefit ICROSS and the vital work they do in
Kenya.
The Creative and Artistic Director is Manuel Scrima who is the creator
of ICROSS exhibitions. He directs a series of initiatives to create
awareness about the beauty and magic of Africa. Create Africa will not
only continue this tradition but will raise funds for our AIDS
projects and nutritional support programmes helping children living in
absolute poverty.
ICROSS is an international organisation working to fight poverty and
disease in the poorest parts of the world. It was created in 1979 by
Dr Joe Barnes MD, Dr Tom O'Riordan MD and Dr Michael Elmore-Meegan D
Med HC NUI. For over 25 years ICROSS has worked with tribes in East
Africa fighting disease. Health professionals work with local
communities in long term development and health programmes. ICROSS
works with the resources, capabilities and capacities of poor
marginalised communities seeking to strengthen their capacity to
improve their own health and livelihoods through the rights based
approaches of participation, inclusion and community empowerment
processes. www.icross.ie
Create Africa was set up in 2006, when Jerry Kennelly, winner of the
Ernst & Young Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year Awards was challenged
along with the other winners to use his talents to make an impact on
the poor of Africa. Kennelly and a team of friends and colleagues –
Zeit Solutions CEO Paul Ashe, Art Directors John Mac Monagle and Sean
Greaney, Communications expert Brenda O'Hanlon and Irish Times
photographer Alan Betson – travelled to Kenya and created the start-up
business. Since then, Kennelly has returned several times to help
build the business along with local director, Dr. Willie Nymbati, who
is a board member of ICROSS. All of the team and sponsor Getty Images
provided their expertise without charge.
