Former Miss SA Jo Ann Strauss Teams Up With Visual Activist Zanele Muholi to Empower Children Through Photography
Former Miss SA Jo Ann Strauss Teams Up With Visual Activist Zanele Muholi to Empower Children Through Photography. For the past week the children of Paternoster have walked the streets and shores of their fishing village with cameras in hand. They laughed as they framed shots of one another, captured the ocean that sustains their families, photographed the quiet corners of their homes and the everyday moments that shape their world. No one directed them to smile or pose. They simply told their own stories in their own way.
This is the latest chapter of the Muholi Art Institute’s Photo XP programme, a hands on youth photography experience created to place creative tools directly into young hands. Developed by internationally acclaimed visual activist and photographer Zanele Muholi, recipient of the 2026 Hasselblad Award, the programme partners with Jo Ann Strauss and her MaseKhaya Foundation, West Coast Kids and celebrated township photographer Lindeka Qampi. Together they have guided children from Paternoster through camera handling, composition, portraiture and most importantly the art of seeing themselves and their community with dignity and pride.
The initiative builds on the recently successful editions held in Vredendal and Swellendam. At its core stands a clear belief that children should never remain mere subjects in someone else’s narrative. They must become the authors of their own.
Zanele, whose groundbreaking work has always centred on visibility and truth telling, puts it powerfully. “Nobody can tell our story better than ourselves.” This principle now lives in the photographs taken by Paternoster’s young people. They add, “I picked up the camera because there were no images of us that spoke to me at the time when I needed them the most. I had to produce a positive visual narrative of my community and create a new dialogue with images.”
Through Photo XP the children have learned far more than technical skills. They have gained confidence, sharpened their observation, discovered the joy of self expression and begun to see themselves as artists and storytellers. They documented their families, their favourite places, the sea they know by heart and the small details adults often miss. The result is a collection of intimate, joyful and deeply authentic images that pulse with life and honesty.
Jo Ann, founder of MaseKhaya Foundation, witnessed the transformation firsthand. “This project has been about giving children the confidence to see themselves as storytellers, artists and creators. Watching them use photography to express who they are has been incredibly moving.”
The Muholi Art Institute remains committed to advancing visual literacy and community centred creative practice. By partnering with MaseKhaya Foundation’s focus on youth development and authentic South African storytelling, the programme proves the lasting power of investing time, care and belief in young people. What began as a week of exploration in Paternoster now stands as part of a growing movement that equips the next generation with the tools to document their realities on their own terms.
The children’s work will be shared publicly through public exhibitions in Paternoster and at Strandloper Ocean Boutique Hotel, which kicks off on Friday 24 April 2026. These displays offer a window into Paternoster as seen through the clear eyes of its youngest residents. Yet the true story reaches far beyond any single showing. It continues in the confidence these children now carry and in the quiet revolution of young voices learning to speak through images.
The collaboration between Zanele, Jo Ann and their partners highlights a simple truth. When children are trusted with cameras and the freedom to create, they do not just take pictures. They rewrite the way the world sees them and the way they see themselves.
About Muholi Art Institute
Founded by Zanele, the Muholi Art Institute advances visual literacy, self representation and creative confidence through accessible photography education rooted in community and dignity.
About MaseKhaya Foundation
Established by Jo Ann, the foundation drives youth development, creativity and authentic South African storytelling to build stronger, more confident communities
