PHOTOS: An Eye-Opening Look At #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou

Blood Diamond. Famine. AIDS epidemic. Those are a few examples of what people know of Africa because that is what the media shows. A  17-year-old from Ghana who goes only by Rachel is sick of seeing such negative images of her home continent and she wants people to join in her initiative: the #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou campaign which highlights the positives of Africa.

Africa does have its problems. It is plagued with disease, high death tolls and infected waters, but there is more; there is better. Rachel told Mashable:

“I started this campaign because I felt that it’s time the world knew the truth about Africans, to hear our stories and to see the Africa we know and see rather than what some/most media outlets show to them. Being in Ghana, and being an African as well, I know there is so much more than the poverty, ethnic wars, and the disease. The world deserves to know there is something behind that.”

Here are the examples of the photos people are sharing through Twitter:

 

Africans share positive images to combat media stereotypes. #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou http://t.co/2wF7pVaZ8R pic.twitter.com/a5WcZn9AS3

— GOOD (@good) June 30, 2015

These Nigerian TEENAGERS who invented a generator than runs on pee. 1l = 6hrs power! #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/hyTGhjOrFY

— Tracy Angus-Hammond (@T2T_Trace) July 6, 2015

People like Nigerian student Oyeyiola, who converted VW beetle to solar & wind power #theafricathemedianevershowsyou pic.twitter.com/y0gLLr6O9e

— Tracy Angus-Hammond (@T2T_Trace) July 5, 2015

Photos of Somalia #Puntland beaches. #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/IIF3f7wgoe

— Naleye Abdirizak (@NaleyeAbdi) July 1, 2015

#theafricathemedianevershowsyou – techno kids as young as 10 years old learning to code @InnovHub @Geekulcha pic.twitter.com/YEQR3I1aRy

— McLean Sibanda (@mcleansibanda) July 7, 2015

Amazing views from Nyaru over the #RiftValley #Kenya. #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/IZNCNzkfFm

— Marc Roig Tió (@marcroigtio) July 7, 2015

Sunrise in beautiful #Maputo. #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou #afritravel RT @NicSchiegg pic.twitter.com/MDE2YUO541

— IG: Mzansigirl (@MzansiGirl) July 7, 2015

50,000 images that will change how you see Africa! http://t.co/yK9F4wIqJV #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/D7WcvrCVRj

— ONE (@ONEinAfrica) July 6, 2015

#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou taught you some lessons http://t.co/GlEuPwJqED pic.twitter.com/2yRWSV5iux

— BET (@BET) July 6, 2015

#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou Our little ones are happy & not always bony starved kids with flies on their faces! pic.twitter.com/4vl8r7aHIi

— Martha Rose ♥♥♥ (@DatAfricanGirl) July 3, 2015

the Amazing pink lake in senegal #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/A2BDghfbMc

— K.Diallo (@nyeusi_waasi) June 24, 2015

“@tinaaxlopes: My family’s beautiful country of Cape Verde #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/JXcMx9nVJp“beautiful

— #BBOG#It’s A Must (@harsiwarju) June 28, 2015

Does the air in the 2nd pic feel Ghanaian to you? “@noCLthisyear: Welcome to Ghana #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYoupic.twitter.com/ApFkUB1wrw

— Black Chinese (@Koo_The_Boy) June 27, 2015

(featured image via afk travel)

This story was originally published on July 10, 2015