A POWERFUL new photographic exhibition zooming in on the human faces behind the crisis in South Sudan has opened at Belfast's Linen Hall Library.
Award-winning photographer Kieran Doherty, whose family is from Belfast, joined forces with Oxfam Ireland to highlight the plight of displaced communities in the war-torn north east African country.
The 'Make Them Visible' exhibition runs in the library until November 28 and is part of EUsavesLIVES, a joint awareness campaign mounted by the charity and the European Commission.
Doherty, who travelled with Oxfam to South Sudan last year, met ordinary people forced into extraordinary situations - and found much of his subject matter "harrowing".
Setting out to explore the theme of human resilience in the face of brutality and hardship, each photograph left an indelible mark on the photographer's psyche.
"Behind each photo is a individual human being who has had to flee, leaving behind belongings, a home, friends and often family," he said.
"It is very difficult to put into words the bleakness and vulnerability they face but I had my camera to help tell their stories and to show the work undertaken by Oxfam and others to support vulnerable people who are forgotten in a crisis.
"Hopefully, this photo exhibition can help bring these 'invisible people' back into view by highlighting the situation of South Sudanese refugees and their families."
Chief executive of Oxfam Ireland, Jim Clarken, said Kieran's "powerful and emotive" images offered hope for the future.
"They show people in the most extreme situations yet, remarkably, reveal dignity and humanity," he said. "They also offer hope for the future.
"European solidarity can be the difference between life and death - these refugees and displaced people are the living proof of how much humanitarian aid can impact their lives."
The ongoing civil war has resulted in over 1.6 million people being displaced in South Sudan since December 2013, with over 622,000 have sought refuge in neighbouring countries.
Oxfam is currently supporting 690,000 people in the country with humanitarian assistance including clean water, food, fuel and income support.
