Intricately braided hairstyles and colourful, sparkling scenes from Malawi, Eritrea and Uganda feature in the photographs of Carol Lee, which hang at ENFO on Andrew's Street in Dublin 2.
The images challenge the negative images of Africa so often portrayed, said broadcaster Mary Kennedy, of RTÉ's Open House, when she opened the show this week. Kennedy visited Eritrea last year with Self Help Development International, an agency set up in 1984 to promote sustainable, long-term change. Lee's photographs, entitled Africa Framed, aim to highlight what can be achieved when communities work together in partnership.
Singer Deirdre Ní Chinnéide, who is Kennedy's sister, came along to view the photographs. Later this month, she will sing songs at the upcoming Féile Bríde in Kildare, from her album, Sunda, which she has recorded with Fionnuala Gill.
The festival, organised by Afri, will also feature Nigerian percussionist Bisi Adigun with Dublin musicians Hugh O'Byrne and Brian Flemming, when the Afro-Céilí takes place on Sunday, January 26th.
Pat Bourne, first secretary at the Department of Foreign Affairs, responsible for Ireland Aid, says we are the sixth biggest donor in the world in terms of aid per capita to the developing world.
Admission is free to the exhibition, which runs until the end of January at the Department of the Environment's ENFO.