“It’s not like male photographers are better than female. I want people to recognise me as a photographer who is as good as male ones. I want Gambia to see how passionate I am.”

Sarjo Baldeh in The Guardian

I’m so pleased for and proud of my friend, Sarjo Baldeh, my photographer on The Gambia leg of A Women’s Oral History Of West Africa, whose empowering story has gone viral.

At just 22, Sarjo is a self-taught camerawoman specialising in football photography. One of only a handful of female photographers in her country, she was also one of just four women photographers at the African Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournament currently being held in the Ivory Coast. Working in a male-dominated profession in a macho sport in a patriarchal society, Sarjo’s passion, determination, and work ethic make her even more exceptional, and a role model for young women and girls looking to break down barriers and enter unconventional fields. This quote from the article perfectly exemplifies her can-do attitude:

“When I came to Afcon I realised that in order to be in same position as male photographers I have to double up my hard work, because they’re taller than me, bigger than me, fitter than me, especially when we have to take squad pictures of the boys – it’s always a push and pull situation [to take the best spot].”

Sarjo has long been making an impact in her community. Two years ago, she set up Team Baldezz to train young women (and a man) in photography skills and the group photographs local league football matches weekly. Here are some takeaways from her story:

– Young women need role models from within their own communities When interviewing women elders about their childhood dreams and aspirations, the majority were baffled by the question, saying they didn’t have any because they didn’t know anything about life outside of their immediate community. Sarjo is well-known locally as “The Woman Photographer” and many young women are starting to believe they too can do something different from what society expects of them because of her example.

– Young women need space to expand
Working within the bounds of her faith and culture, Sarjo has found a way to pursue her passion while respecting and representing her beliefs and heritage. There are many ways for women to assert their independence and carve out their own paths. Not all revolutions are communal events. Sometimes, they’re personal and incremental.

– Young women need strong male allies
Family is everything and fathers, in particular, can be an impediment or a huge help. Sarjo’s dad is a respected policeman who supports his daughter in her pursuit of her craft. Others see this and think, ‘If someone like him can champion his daughter to do something like this, then why not me?’

I can’t wait to see the impact of ‘The Sarjo Effect’ on women in photography in The Gambia and beyond 10 years from now. More power and support to her!