U.S. Ambassador Virginia Palmer with Stephen Ofori Amo
In advance of this year's Earth Day celebrations, U.S. Ambassador Virginia Palmer announced the champions of the U.S. Embassy's 'Capture the Change' photo contest. With the intention of giving young Ghanaians a chance to illustrate the effects of climate change on their own communities, the contest received more than one hundred submissions from professional and amateur photographers.
This initiative is part of the U.S. government's commitment to collaborate with Ghana to address the climate crisis.
"These images clearly demonstrate how young Ghanaians are experiencing our changing climate," Ambassador Palmer, upon meeting the winners, exclaimed, "Their creativity, optimism, and emotional resolve to address the climate crisis are truly inspiring."
Some of the worst effects of climate change are already being felt by African nations. Changing climate patterns have a negative impact on agricultural yields, while more frequent floods and droughts imperil food security in the region and exacerbate migration pressures.
The U.S. government is committed to addressing the climate crisis. Since January 2021, the Biden Administration has invested in and intends to work with Congress to provide at least $1.1 billion to support African-led initiatives to strengthen conservation, climate adaptation, and a just energy transition.
The three victors of the photo contest vividly illustrate these pressures, while also illuminating the hope for a change to combat the climate crisis. On Friday, April 21, 2023, the winning photographs will appear in the Daily Graphic. This initiative's official media partner is The Daily Graphic. (See photos with original captions below).
The winner was identified as Stephen Ofori Amo. His photograph depicts a young infant surrounded by the stark effects of climate change, expressing the angst of a generation that appears ready to act.
In order to combat deforestation, Enoch Anyane's photograph of a solitary man surrounded by deforestation (broken trees and wood refuse) planting a single sapling was placed second.
The third-place photograph 'The Lone Survivor' by Akrong Sylvester Senyo Kwame eloquently depicts the contrasts of unpredictable rainfall and arid soil, while highlighting our shared responsibility to care for, nurture, and restore nature in order to combat the climate crisis.
Each of the three winners will receive electronic equipment – a camera, laptop, or smartphone – to continue their voyage of documenting Ghana's climate. The top 15 submissions, including the three champions, are on display at the Embassy and will be displayed at partner institutions for the remainder of the competition.
