Rachel, a 17-year-old from Ghana, is tired of watching the media highlight Africa’s struggles and hide its beauty.
So on June 23, Rachel, who keeps her last name private for Internet security reasons, launched the campaign on Twitter to showcase Africa’s rich culture and natural beauty, using the hashtag#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou.
“I started this Campaign because I felt that it's time the world knew the truth about Africans, to hear our stories and to see the Africa we know and see rather than what some/most media outlets show to them. Being in Ghana, and being an African as well, I know there is so much more than the poverty, ethnic wars, and the disease. The world deserves to know there is something behind that,” Rachel wrote in an email to Mashable.
Here's a glimpse of Luxury apartments in Africa #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/FjL7xBv6hj— R. (@WestAfricanne) June 24, 2015
The Twitter campaign, which has now spread to Instagram as well, has produced almost
">64,000 tweets since it first began. The images showcase Africa's unique geographical beauty, high-fashion, art, cuisine and more.
"We also want to show people that Africa isn't only animals, jungles and safaris," she said. "We have amazing skyscrapers, hotels, shopping malls and much more."
#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou Our little ones are happy & not always bony starved kids with flies on their faces! pic.twitter.com/4vl8r7aHIi— Martha Rose (@DatAfricanGirl) July 3, 2015
My beautiful #senegal. Beauty is in the eyes of the viewer. #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou. http://t.co/176FOVwiBk pic.twitter.com/M4LWOhVdhL— Layepro (@layepro) July 3, 2015
Essaka do dindi dauphins yi? RT @nyeusi_waasi: the Amazing pink lake in senegal #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/9whzCrYxF4— Brünhild (@MariaLacouture) July 3, 2015
These Nigerian TEENAGERS who invented a generator than runs on pee. 1l = 6hrs power! #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/hyTGhjOrFY— Tracy Angus-Hammond (@T2T_Trace) July 6, 2015
Rachel hopes that this campaign will help change the negative stereotypes people associate with Africa that are perpetuated by the media. She also hopes it will attract tourists. " Tourism industries are very important to African countries and this hashtag also helps with promotion of beautiful landmarks, or other points of interest in certain countries," she wrote.
#theafricathemedianevershowsyou Ethiopia's flourishing art explores a broad & eclectic range of styles and influences pic.twitter.com/ClQT15quob— ThatEthioBoy (@ThatEthioBoy) July 1, 2015
---» "@Nadiaalie: Africa has 3 female heads of state. #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/Ho0Qdrmrho"— Dark Chocolate (@niShellyO) June 27, 2015
#TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou courtesy of @KResearcher Flamingos at Lake Bogoria. pic.twitter.com/WoKbF2Fhtk— Femme actuelle (@zippoglisia) June 26, 2015
Rachel even admits that she was shocked by some of the photos of African countries she knew little about. "As for Somalia, the media had me thinking that the country was nothing but ruined and piracy, but seeing some pictures of it had me completely embarrassed, and this encouraged me even more to fight the stereotypes created by the media," she said.
And we do like to walk around barefoot. Sometimes. :-) #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/5WcmrCpGYv— Koome Gitobu (@KoomeGitobu) June 25, 2015
Painting by Ghanaian artist Bright Ackwerh #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou pic.twitter.com/C8PJSC9wAe— R. (@WestAfricanne) June 30, 2015
She acknowledged that this campaign won't erase Africa's problems, but that's not the goal.
"But the hashtag is not created to erase the suffering but to celebrate the beauty because we don't celebrate it enough," Rachel said. "With the help of other fellow Africans we have been able to also show Traditional cultures, cuisines, music and much more."