National Photo Journalist Association established in Addis

By Alemayehu Seife Selassie

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia - Founded by Biniyame Mengesha, the National Photo Journalists Association (NPJA) was recently established in Addis Ababa by photo journalists who have worked in various media formats. The association’s main aim is to train and conduct workshops to enhance the quality of the field.

The founder of the association states that he and his colleagues were inspired by the Addis Ababa University’s School of Journalism, which recently organized a photo journalism seminar. “At the end of the seminar, we have come to an agreement to establish an association that will help us get better professional training and organize a training program in which we share our knowledge as an association.”

A basic ingredient in the field of print media, photography has played a major role in captivating readers. Though there have been several journalist associations, the newly founded NPJA is the first one to embrace photographers in particular. Previous journalist associations have been keen to advocate for writers’ and editors’ freedom and right, while the newly founded association focuses on training and professionalism in the field.
Potential members of the association are photographers who are working in media or have retired and are interested to abide by the Association’s regulations. The founder of the NPJA highlighted that they have no intention to discriminate between any photo journalists as potential members of the association.

“We want to embrace both government and private newspaper and website photo journalists in our association,” he said.
The association hopes to work with Addis Ababa University School of Journalism and the Mass Media and Communication Institute in the long run.
Binyame also highlighted that they have formed close ties with the World Press Photograph organization, Panos London, and other professional photographers’ organizations. They intend to define the NPJA’s level of professionalism based on trainings they receive from foreign organizations and expert correspondents.

The movement of the professional association started some six months ago, and the association has set its office around the Bole Medhane Alem area of Addis. In the long term, the association hopes to have offices in the different regions as well.
“We have asked for the Ministry of Information to issue us special passes to events. We were told by the Ministry to form an association and ask for our rights accordingly, and we have thus taken the first step,” the founder of the association states.
In the near future the NPJA hopes to hold a photo exhibition to promote their cause.