When Lisa Marie Albert, a documentary photographer and UNC Wilmington alumna, left for Uganda three years ago, she never could have imagined that, through the power of photography and storytelling, she would be able to share the voices of street children with international audiences and, most recently, the UNCW community.

Her display, “Art and Advocacy: Street Children Have a Voice,” documents the experiences of Ugandan street children through words, illustrations and, most importantly, photographs. Their photographs.

During a six-month stay in Lira, Uganda in 2010, Albert encountered a number of street children who are often the subjects of public ridicule and negative press. Inspired by Maya Angelou’s words, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you,” Albert sought a way to give these children a voice of their own.

“It’s all about changing perspectives,” Albert said.

Albert turned to PhotoVoice, a method of community-based participatory research, which allows people whose stories may otherwise go unheard to express themselves through the lens of a camera. She teamed up with Child Restoration Outreach in Lira to offer a week-long camp where she taught children how to use a camera and encouraged them to take pictures of people and places that held special meaning to them. Toward the end of the week, Albert returned to each child their pictures and asked them to choose their favorites to share with the group.

During the camp, Albert also taught the children how to make storyboards. Like the photographs, the children drew pictures to represent their lives, surroundings and future goals. After they finished their storyboards, Albert asked each child to explain their drawings in an interview, inviting them to complete their photographed and illustrated stories in their own words.

Albert compiled each child’s artwork on posters and displayed them in several local venues, which included the Lira town hall. Many of the posters, hung in the fall of 2010, are still on display in the original venues today.

Beyond Uganda, Albert has shared her exhibit at the Monkey Bottom Art Gallery in Durham, NC, the Projekte Art Gallery in Wilmington, and the Gillings School of Public Health at UNC Chapel Hill. On Sept. 12, “Art and Advocacy” opened on campus in UNCW’s Warwick Center Lobby Gallery. Albert made a short presentation about her work, which was followed by a reception and an opportunity to view the art on display.

Albert’s ultimate goal for the exhibit is to give the street children of Uganda a voice, but she also shares a vision with the co-sponsors of the display– the College of Health and Human Services and the Association for Campus Entertainment (ACE)–who hope the children’s stories will leave viewers with a greater sense of global awareness.

“We have it really well off, and in our own bliss, we realize other countries don’t have it as well as we do,” said Skylar Lewis, a senior member of ACE and the Boseman Gallery Chair.

The opening helped even one of the youngest visitors realize how thankful she is for her upbringing. Tyra Judge, 13, felt inspired by the poster about Marrion, a 15-year-old girl who ran away from home to escape abuse.

“I just think it’s crazy that this is how they live,” Judge said.

Albert also has other goals for her display. She began “Art and Advocacy” with one simple idea— to share art as a form of expression with vulnerable children. Yet, this passion has developed into a traveling exhibit that helps reverse the stereotypes of street children, allows her to visit Africa on multiple occasions to continue her efforts, and most of all, gives children of all ages hope and a means to share their story.

“Go ahead and pursue your dreams. Sometimes all you need is a little goodwill, and you can make dreams happen,” Albert said. 

Through this exhibit, Albert encourages students to find what makes them happy and to act on these ambitions. As impossible as an idea may seem, you never know when it has the potential to become something much greater than you ever imagined.

“Art and Advocacy: Street Children Have a Voice” is located in the Warwick Center Lobby Gallery and will remain open through Oct. 18.