Young people with disabilities are using photography to share their experiences,  show their creativity and  perceptions around disability  through an exhibition titled "Hear Me".

The exhibition is taking place at the Franco- Namibian Cultural  Center  in Windhoek.

The exhibition is a project established by OYO Trust with the support of the Embassy of Finland.

Itt aims to provide young people with disabilities with a platform to express themselves and participate  in cultural life on an equal basis.

Through photography,  the participants were encouraged to explore their communities, capture different  experiences  and tell stories from their own perspectives.

OYO Trust Patron, Peter Katjavivi said the project seeks to challenge  discrimination and misconceptions around disability while promoting inclusion and empowering young people. 

One of the the participants, Josephine Isaacs explained that the project gave them an opportunity to capture everyday experience.

"The project consisted of deaf learners, the blind learners, and mental intellectual learners. As we were doing, we went through the community looking for different features where we came up with some people selling meat, houses. Some people lived in houses where they are used. And also we met different, different people. Doing this, we are trying to see how we can help and how the community can move to better.'

The exhibition was opened by the Minister  of Education,  Innovation,  Youth, Arts and Culture Sanet Steenkamp.

"So hearing is not always listening because listening requires attention, understanding and a willingness to take another person's words and experiences seriously and that's why we are here and perhaps this is what the project asked of us, not simply to see these young people or hear what they have to say but to genuinely listen to them."

The exhibition features 42 selected photographys from about 510 images taken by  young participants. 

Charge d' Affaires at the Embassy  of Findland Tuulia Putkonen, said the exhibition  highlights the importance  of ensuring  that young people  with disabilities  have  meaningfull opportunities  to express  themselves  and participate  ins society. 

The exhibition which is funded by the Embassy  of Finland ends on the 25th of November.