AUN Begins Almajiri Visual Story

Scholars from SAS have begun a new academic project, “Almajiri Visual Story.” The Almajiri Visual Story is a tell-it-themselves approach to the Almajiri narrative in Adamawa that is being spearheaded by President Ensign and Dr. Jacob Jacob, the interim Associate Dean of SAS.

The idea behind this project is to be able to tell the Almajiri boys' stories from their point of view through pictures. “Photographers and journalists have visited them, had interviews, and written from their own understanding. It is about time we let the Almajiris tell it themselves,” said Jacob, who leads the team.

To understand their daily activities and encounters, Dr. Ensign was able to have a contact of hers donate Quicksnap flash cameras from the US for the selected participants in this purely academic project. The participants were aged between six and 17 years.

On June 24, Dr. Jacob and Photojournalist and Instructor Danielle Villasana, at the Feed and Read for Boys ground, held a short tutorial session teaching them how to use the flash cameras to capture interesting moments in their lives. Thirty-five of them were given the cameras and Mr. Umar, a coordinator for the boys’ program, helped translate to Fulfulde.

Executive Director of AUN Academy, Mrs. Nkem Uzowulu, presenting a camera to a participant

Also present was the Executive Director of AUN Schools, Mrs. Nkem Uzowulu, and she helped distribute the cameras. It was really an exciting session and the children were very excited to be chosen for the project. Dr. Jacob is optimistic and eager to see the pictures taken.  He hopes the photos can be used worldwide. The project was to last over the weekend; by Monday, June 27, the pictures were to be collected and examined.

By Danielle Ukaogo