National Geographic Photo Camp to Mentor Young Photographers in Sou Sudan

WASHINGTON (Sept. 16, 2014)-A group of South Sudanese youth will have the opportunity to tell their stories through photography during National Geographic Photo Camp South Sudan, Sept. 22-27, 2014, highlighting issues faced by the world's newest nation. Photo Camp is conducted in partnership with Internews, and the participants, aged 19-25, will be mentored by National Geographic contributing photographers Ed Kashi, Amy Toensing and Matt Moyer.

The six-day Photo Camp workshop will train the students to document through photography the ways that the South Sudanese are engaging in cross-tribal peace-building activities. The workshop will culminate with a multimedia presentation of the students' work on Sept. 27 at the Dembesh Hotel in Juba.

We hope Photo Camp South Sudan will provide these young photographers with a creative outlet to share their unique perspectives, said Terry Garcia, National Geographic's chief science and exploration officer. For more than 125 years, National Geographic has worked to inspire people to care about the planet. We've found that Photo Camp activities can give new voice to the camp attendees and inspire them as well as the members of the community who view their work.

Since the conflict, which erupted in South Sudan in December 2013, more than 1 million people have been displaced from their homes, tens of thousands have been killed, and South Sudan is now facing a serious food crisis.

Deborah Ensor, Internews chief of party in South Sudan, said this Photo Camp is a unique way to raise the voices of South Sudanese youth at a critical time in their country's history. This is a really an amazing opportunity for young people in South Sudan not only to learn new skills in photography but to express themselves and share their hopes for the future following the conflict. We are bringing people together who have been displaced from their homes, those who have faced terrible violence, and young students from Juba University who continue on their paths despite these hardships. The camp will be capturing how people in Juba are working together in their communities to build peace.

Olympus Imaging America Inc. has supplied cameras for the Photo Camp. National Geographic Photo Camp has provided programs for more than 1,000 young people in 67 locations since 2003. Other Photo Camps have taken place this year in Arivaca, Arizona, for youth impacted by issues of undocumented migration and border enforcement, and in Kenya, where local photographers documented issues related to 30 years of HIV in that country. For more information on these Photo Camps, visit:

http://proof.nationalgeographic.com/2014/05/19/photo-camp-kenya-teaching-the-language-of-photography/

http://proof.nationalgeographic.com/2014/08/25/photo-camp-arizona-empowering-teens-to-tell-their-stories-of-border-life/

About the National Geographic Society

With a mission to inspire people to care about the planet, the 126-year-old National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Working to inspire, illuminate and teach, the member-supported Society reaches over 600 million people worldwide each month through its media platforms, products and events. National Geographic has funded more than 11,000 research, conservation and exploration projects, and its education programs promote geographic literacy. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com

About Internews

Internews is an international nonprofit media development organization whose mission is to empower local media worldwide to give people the news and information they need, the ability to connect and the means to make their voices heard. Formed in 1982, Internews has worked in more than 90 countries and currently has offices in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and North America. Internews has worked in South Sudan since 2006, building the capacity of local media and operating Eye Radio in collaboration with the South Sudanese NGO Eye Media. Internews also runs the Network of Community Radios and Humanitarian Information Services in the most remote parts of the country. www.internews.org @internews

LINK:	http://press.nationalgeographic.com/2014/09/16/photo-camp-south-sudan/...
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