Celebrated Ghanaian photojournalist, Geoffrey Buta, through his Foto4change Foundation, has presented camera equipment to the Savelugu School for the Deaf in the Northern.
The items donated included a camera, tripod, speedlite, and other accessories for the students in the school.
Mr. Buta explained that the exercise formed part of his initiative to support the education of special students across the country with practical experiences in photography so as to enable them to tell their stories visually.
For him, equipping special children with the needed tools to enable them to express themselves in other ways must be supported by all, particularly by the corporate world in order to unearth the given talents of such children.
“The presentation is to equip the students to express themselves to the world through visual storytelling,” he said, adding, “The students will be coached by some leading photo professionals in the country.”
Mr. Buta noted that the Foto4change Foundation had resolved to turn special young talents into world-renowned professional visual storytellers to champion future visual storytelling by giving them the tools, knowledge, and opportunity to advance their careers and build on their skills.
The multiple-award-winning photojournalist with the New Times Corporation hinted at a national contest among the beneficiary schools and an exhibition where students from the special schools would be awarded.
The Headmistress of the Savelugu School for the Deaf, Nora Naaso lauded Mr. Buta and the Foto4change team for the gesture, explaining that the items would go a long way to influence many of the students to develop love for photography.
“As we speak, there is no single professional journalist or cameraman in the country we can boast of, despite it being the dream of some of the students,” she said.
Ms. Nasoo underscored that despite their effort to encourage the students to partake in their studies, they had no teacher to take them through.
She, therefore, called for more support in the area of art so that the young ones could have a practical feel of whatever they are taught.
“These young ones can become world-renowned artists like some of those we already have in the country when we start teaching them from this age,” Aisha Yakubu, a student, expressed her joy as she operated the camera for the first time, stating, “This is a dream come true, as I have been yearning to become a visual storyteller.”
