“Through art and creativity, we can also advocate by working on projects such as ‘Water Life’ which address societal issues, but do not perpetuate negative stereotypes of the continent,” she said.
“We’re bombarded with images of suffering and strife from Africa. So for me, it was just about using a different way to engage an audience in issue of water scarcity and the strength of the women that deal with this issue daily.”
Muluneh said working on the project, which involved four days of shooting in Afar’s Dallol region – one of the hottest and driest places on earth – had been an exhausting, yet rewarding experience.
“The landscapes – deserts and volcanic mountains – are greatly inspirational, and are a photographer’s dream. But the conditions are not exactly comfortable. It’s really hot,” she said.
“But to me, if we’re talking about issues of water, I wanted to go to a place that was quite dry and also meet with communities there because the resilience of these communities who live in these conditions is quite amazing.”
The exhibition, which is also supported by the H&M Foundation, will be on display at Somerset House in London until Oct. 20.