In Uganda, photojournalism has come a long way. This was particularly in evidence last month at the Uganda Press Photo Awards, which showcased some of the best photographic work this African nation has to offer. <br />The awards are the brainchild of the Foreign Correspondents' Association of Uganda and the German democratic advocacy group Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung,and are also supported by the American Embassy, U.S. Mission.<br />The awards aim to "raise the bar for professional photojournalism in Uganda and to stimulate debate about the role of photojournalism in sustaining democratic development."<br />The first prize in the creative category went to <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Flafrohemien%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Sarah Waiswa</a>, for innovative approach to the medium.
In Uganda, photojournalism has come a long way. This was particularly in evidence last month at the Uganda Press Photo Awards, which showcased some of the best photographic work this African nation has to offer.
The awards are the brainchild of the Foreign Correspondents' Association of Uganda and the German democratic advocacy group Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung,and are also supported by the American Embassy, U.S. Mission.
The awards aim to "raise the bar for professional photojournalism in Uganda and to stimulate debate about the role of photojournalism in sustaining democratic development."
The first prize in the creative category went to Sarah Waiswa, for innovative approach to the medium.
Sara Waiswa
Waiswa also won second place for her striking portraits.
Waiswa also won second place for her striking portraits.
Sarah Waiswa
Waiswa also placed second in the daily life category for her picture of a group traveling from Zimbabwe to Zambia. They found the border closed, so they had to camp out until the next morning.
Waiswa also placed second in the daily life category for her picture of a group traveling from Zimbabwe to Zambia. They found the border closed, so they had to camp out until the next morning.
Sarah Waiswa
<a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fmiriamnamutebi17%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Miriam Namutebi</a> took second place in the creative category with a portrait of a student at Makerere University living with Vitiligo, a disorder that causes dappled pigmentation of the skin. Here she poses within animal patterns.
Miriam Namutebi took second place in the creative category with a portrait of a student at Makerere University living with Vitiligo, a disorder that causes dappled pigmentation of the skin. Here she poses within animal patterns.
Miriam Namutebi
<a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fnkatende%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Norman Katende</a> won second place in the sport category with this great action shot of an athlete showcasing her talents during the triple jump event at the national stadium in Namboole.
Norman Katende won second place in the sport category with this great action shot of an athlete showcasing her talents during the triple jump event at the national stadium in Namboole.
Norman Katende
Mpalanyi Ssentongo won third place in the sport category for his portrait of Uganda's national beach soccer team during a beach fitness test in the lead-up to the CAF 2015 beach soccer qualifier against Ghana at Sports Beach, Entebbe.
Mpalanyi Ssentongo won third place in the sport category for his portrait of Uganda's national beach soccer team during a beach fitness test in the lead-up to the CAF 2015 beach soccer qualifier against Ghana at Sports Beach, Entebbe.
MPALANYI SSENTONGO
Abou Kisige was the overall winner, and also placed first in the news category for this image of a student from Nabagereka Primary School searching for her notes in the debris left behind after her school was bulldozed. The institution, named after the Queens of the Buganda Kingdom, was home to more than 600 pupils and 50 staff. The school was razed in the early hours of the morning to avoid opposition to the school being moved.
Abou Kisige was the overall winner, and also placed first in the news category for this image of a student from Nabagereka Primary School searching for her notes in the debris left behind after her school was bulldozed. The institution, named after the Queens of the Buganda Kingdom, was home to more than 600 pupils and 50 staff. The school was razed in the early hours of the morning to avoid opposition to the school being moved.
Abou Kisige
<a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fjoelnsadha%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Joel Nsadha </a>placed first in the daily life category for his photograph "City Builder," in which he portrays Wasswa, a builder who is trying to balance on the side of a high-rise building in Kampala while also trying to keep his pants from falling down. He commutes into the city each day from Gayaza to work on building sites -- a job that earns him an average daily salary of 5,000 Ugandan shillings ($1.40).
Joel Nsadha placed first in the daily life category for his photograph "City Builder," in which he portrays Wasswa, a builder who is trying to balance on the side of a high-rise building in Kampala while also trying to keep his pants from falling down. He commutes into the city each day from Gayaza to work on building sites -- a job that earns him an average daily salary of 5,000 Ugandan shillings ($1.40).
Joel Nsadha
<a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fmajabu14%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Abu Mwesigwa</a><strong> </strong>placed third in the nature category with "Cry for Help." A barbed razor wire fence meant to stop thieves ends up trapping a Vervet monkey. In Uganda, many sanctuaries for monkeys have been demolished and been replaced with houses and farmland.
Abu Mwesigwa placed third in the nature category with "Cry for Help." A barbed razor wire fence meant to stop thieves ends up trapping a Vervet monkey. In Uganda, many sanctuaries for monkeys have been demolished and been replaced with houses and farmland.
ABU MWESIGWA
Badru Katumba placed third in the daily life category for a portrait of coffin maker Rebecca Nansubuga, who looks through a pane of glass that will be used to make the viewing panel on the front of a coffin.
Badru Katumba placed third in the daily life category for a portrait of coffin maker Rebecca Nansubuga, who looks through a pane of glass that will be used to make the viewing panel on the front of a coffin.
Badru Katumba
Joel Nsadha's portrait of Zaidi Zaidi, a father of three from Bukoto, won him first place in the portrait category. Zaidi has been a boda-boda motorcycle taxi operator for eight years. The scars on his body are a result of the many accidents he has been in over the years.
Joel Nsadha's portrait of Zaidi Zaidi, a father of three from Bukoto, won him first place in the portrait category. Zaidi has been a boda-boda motorcycle taxi operator for eight years. The scars on his body are a result of the many accidents he has been in over the years.
Joel Nsadha
<a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2Fyazaarwa%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Eugene Yazaarwa</a> snapped two children who posed for a portrait after a community peer education project. The image won him third place in the portrait category.
Eugene Yazaarwa snapped two children who posed for a portrait after a community peer education project. The image won him third place in the portrait category.
Eugene Yazaarwa