On 10 July 2025, UMC Utrecht and KCGH organised an interactive evening in Utrecht on photography, storytelling and global health. During this meeting, 23 participants came together to explore two photovoice projects that revealed the social and structural determinants of health.
The focus was on two projects: one on living with multiple chronic conditions in rural Mozambique and one on food consumption among adolescents in urban informal settlements in Kenya. Through photographs and personal stories from local participants, attendees gained insights into daily realities that are often under-researched in traditional research.
Dr Olga Cambaco, socio-behavioural scientist and lecturer at Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique, presented her project from Nhamatanda district. In it, patients and caregivers mapped their experiences of multimorbidity through photography. The project showed both the challenges and resilience within rural care contexts and highlighted the importance of inclusive, community-driven care strategies.
Milkah Wanjohi, nutrition and public health researcher and PhD student at Utrecht University, shared insights from her research on adolescents' food choices in urban informal settlements in Kenya. Her project revealed how social, economic and environmental factors influence adolescents' diet and health in rapidly changing urban contexts.
The evening consisted of a photo exhibition, short presentations and open dialogue with global health professionals and students. The combination of image and conversation provided space to question dominant narratives, put less heard voices at the centre and make new connections around health equity.
The meeting showed how visual methods such as photovoice not only enrich research, but can also contribute to reflection, partnership and more equitable forms of knowledge production within global health.
Dutch
English