A Ugandan-born, Kenya-based documentary and portrait photographer, Sarah is at the forefront of a cultural movement reshaping how African women are seen, heard, and represented through the lens. Her platform, African Women in Photography (AWiP), is a groundbreaking initiative aimed at empowering women and non-binary photographers across the continent, fostering a community where their work is celebrated, supported, and seen.
Founded in 2021, AWiP emerged from Sarah’s deep-seated belief in the power of local narratives. The platform not only connects African female photographers to opportunities but also nurtures their professional growth through mentorships, publishing platforms, and exhibition spaces. With a growing directory of creatives, AWiP has become a vital network where African women can document their own stories and challenge long-held narratives shaped by outsiders.
Sarah’s mission is clear: to center African women in conversations about Africa’s image. Through AWiP, she is ensuring that female creatives not only tell their own stories but do so with dignity, authenticity, and authority. This vision took on new dimensions with a landmark partnership between AWiP and the END Fund, which saw the commissioning of five African women photographers to document the impact of neglected tropical diseases across the continent. Their visual work, rich in nuance and human depth, powerfully illuminated the lived experiences of individuals and communities often overlooked.
The resulting exhibition, Reframing Neglect, debuted at the McMillan Library in Nairobi and later featured at the World Health Assembly in Geneva. Among the showcased projects was Sarah’s own compelling series titled Living with LF, which followed the daily life of a woman living with lymphatic filariasis. With empathy and subtlety, Sarah captured not just the hardship of disease but the strength, resilience, and humanity of those affected.
Sarah’s curatorial influence extends beyond this collaboration. In 2023, she curated the acclaimed exhibition Sisi Ni Hao at the Goethe-Institut in Nairobi. Featuring twelve East African women photographers, the exhibition was a bold juxtaposition of archival colonial imagery with contemporary works that explored identity, womanhood, and empowerment. It was a powerful statement against the historical misrepresentation of African women and an assertion of their creative agency.
Sarah’s journey to becoming one of Africa’s most influential photographers was itself a story of purpose. Trained in sociology and psychology in the United States, she eventually transitioned into photography, driven by a desire to tell stories that matter. Her breakout series, Stranger in a Familiar Land, which explored the persecution of people with albinism in Africa, earned her the prestigious Discovery Award at the Rencontres d’Arles photography festival in 2016. Since then, her work has been exhibited internationally and featured in leading global publications.
At the heart of Sarah’s work is a relentless pursuit of justice through art. She believes that representation matters deeply, especially for African women whose realities have often been distorted or erased. Her leadership through AWiP is not only creating visibility but also carving out sustainable paths for women photographers to thrive professionally.
As she continues to grow AWiP and mentor the next generation of visual storytellers, Sarah Waiswa is doing far more than capturing moments—she is reframing history. Through her lens and leadership, she is changing how Africa is seen and how African women see themselves, making space for stories that reflect truth, diversity, and possibility.
