The Embrace Life Campaign has been a creative journey. Hundreds of young people from around the world came together to show their unity for road safety in our 2011 global road safety awareness campaign. From India to Botswana, Canada to Columbia, Europe to Africa, the Embrace Life Campaign saw entries for our photo exhibition from around the world and we can now reveal our winner!
Congratulations to Ms Daphne Kemunto and Ms Sheila Atieno.
Our winners hails from Kenya, Ms Daphne Kemunto’s photos capturing her work for road safety guiding young people safely to school really captured our hearts. The photo was taken by Ms Sheila Atieno and therefore we are honoured to award them with our 1000 Euro grant to run a road safety project in their local community.
The Embrace Life Judges were touched by the emotion conveyed in all of the photo submissions but they all agreed that Ms Daphne’s collection was the one that really stood out for them.
Mr Amon Focus, internationally renowned photographer expressed, ‘What I enjoyed most about this piece is that it was full of action and balance. The picture also had a nice contrast between the children, traffic and the space they left behind as they head to school. It also embodied the very essence of road safety. Great job’.
Mr Affi Luc, creative media guru told YOURS, ‘The participants have been outstanding and I was really touched by the photos submitted. The life in these pictures are visible and its clear that these are the lives we need to save’
Ms Krishna Maroo, Children’s Rights Champion expressed, ‘The images were EXCELLENT. Daphne’s collection was by far the stand out and really brought the idea of embrace life to being’
While Ms Dapnhe Kemunto undertook her personal efforts through her work at Usalama Initiative that deals with the safety of the children on the road, our CORE Group Representative Ms Sheila Ateino, made it a personal mission to go along to Ms Kemunto’s work and capture these photo’s herself! Her tireless efforts to capture photos in an around rural Kenya on her own digital camera has inspired everyone at YOURS and we personally thank her for her tireless efforts to promote road safety in the African region.
Yesterday, we informed Sheila of the winning entry which she facilitated and she told YOURS, ‘What started as an ‘idea’ saw a worldwide innovative participation, created awareness and hope and finally the curtain has fallen down but it is just the beginning for the winner Miss. Daphne Kemunto. BRAVO! I feel proud to be associated with your group. Hongera (congratulations) to all the participants and above all YOURS team for the captivating campaign. Let’s all be safe on the roads!’
What Happens Next?
YOURS will be awarding Ms Sheila Atieno the 1000 Euro award to work with Ms Daphne Kemunto to implement a local project in Kenya in 2012. This will ensure that the children in the photos are given something back with regards to road safety!
Communications Officer, Mr Manpreet Darroch architect of the Embrace Life Campaign said, ‘We at YOURS have been overwhelmed with such a positive response for the campaign. We knew that the campaign was different but the buy in from young people around the world has been truly inspiring. Ms Daphne’s photos were a personal favourite and I am so thrilled that the judges saw this too. We want to give something back to these precious young children in Kenya and this is why we will support Ms Atieno to implement a project that works directly with these young children in the pictures. We are incredibly happy with the result and knowing that there will be continued impact after the campaign gives a real tangible result for the intiative’.
You can view Ms Kemunto’s photos in the attachments as well as the whole exhibition too!