A Million Shillings, Escape from Somalia: An Exhibition of Photographs

Kenya Wed 13-04-2011

A Million Shillings, Escape from Somalia: An Exhibition of Photographs
Press Release

A Million Shillings, Escape from Somalia is an exhibition of photographs documenting the perilous and often fatal journeys undertaken by Somali refugees seeking a better life by crossing the Red Sea into Yemen, in illegal smugglers' boats.

The images on display are taken from her book of the same name, published to widespread critical acclaim, last September 2010.

A million Shilling Escape from Somalia

A British photographer with the Noor Agency, Alixandra is the 2010 UNHCR Nansen Award Winner. The Nansen Award is given annually to an individual or an organization in recognition of extraordinary and dedicated service to refugees and is the most prestigious honour conferred by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

The Nairobi exhibition is the first leg of a tour which will take in countries in the region hosting Somali refugees.

Alixandra won the Nansen Refugee Award in 2010 as the best photojournalist in the world, documenting the lives of refugees across the globe.

Across the Horn of Africa, war, abuse and poverty make millions miserable and drive thousands to attempt to flee. With land borders cut off or closed, and surrounded by conflict on all sides, one of the only means of escape is by sea.

This exhibition follows the journey of the desperate emigrants, or tahrib, to their embarkation points. With smugglers on the coast of Somalia, on a perilous voyage across the Gulf of Aden, and onwards in search for a better life. The cost is just 50 USD, or one million Somali Shillings.

With the one in twenty chance of not making it to the other side alive, it is a price they must risk their lives for. Even then, it is a journey which for many will remain unfinished.

The exhibition takes place at the National Museum of Kenya, on Friday 15th, 4 PM.

For further information, please contact:

Roberta Russo, Russo@unhcr.org , 0733121136, Faith Kasina, Kasina@unhcr.org, 0721914648 or John Bradshaw, John.Bradshaw@fco.gov.uk , 0722 203896

Posted By: Maggie Otieno

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