Like in many other places, Sudanese society can be stuffy and conservative. There’s a strong focus on traditional values and the importance of community.
The downside of that is people tend to be very sensitive about their reputation being damaged.
So in that sense, it’s no surprise that they wanted to be sure of who I was and what I planned to do with their photos.
Art students work on their sculptures at the College of Fine and Applied Arts
I spent a month in total shooting these images. Getting introductions to people through others who knew and trusted me helped. Even so, it took perseverance and a lot of effort.
I set out to illustrate the world of young people in the capital of Sudan today. I wanted to get a sense of how their lives were now and where they might be heading.
At first I felt a generation gap between us. I felt all of my 45 years.
It seemed to me that their way of thinking was different from mine, for instance they appeared to be in quite some hurry to achieve success. For them, many examples of the good life come from cable TV and the Internet.
In many ways that wasn’t so hard to understand, given the reality of daily life in Sudan with its economic pressures, high unemployment and double-digit inflation.
The conservative nature of Sudanese society goes some way to explain the appeal of what these young people see on cable TV. They want to move away from a more traditional way of life.
Some of the students had more direct experience than others of customs outside Khartoum. The young people I met from rural Sudan appeared to be among the most motivated in their studies.
Many of the young men and women I spoke to were confused about their future. It seemed to be out of their hands, they told me.
Whatever their worries or uncertainties, however, and regardless of how much money they had, I saw how free they seemed to feel when they had some spare time and set out to enjoy themselves.
Whether going to the Nile to swim, playing football with their friends, going out to dance, or just spending free time together listening to music, I could see their enjoyment of life in the moment. Youth was coursing through their veins.
Having fun and pursuing leisure activities helps develop the mind and contributes to a healthy community, so it was all the more pleasurable to see these young people enjoying themselves.
Gradually I came to realise that the gap I experienced at the start of the assignment perhaps wasn’t so great a gulf after all. I remembered what it was like at their age to study, to hope and plan for the future I had set my sights on.
Perspective by
