Zain Sudan Announces Winners of Inaugural “A Tale of an Image and Hope” Photography Competition
Sudanhorizon – Report
The Sudanese Mobile Phone Company, Zain, has concluded the first edition of its photography competition, A Tale of an Image and Hope, launched last May through its digital platforms. The competition aimed to shed light on the impact of war in Sudan, highlight aspects of hope and human solidarity amidst harsh realities, and encourage youth to produce positive visual content that reflects Sudan’s bright side and enriches the internet with images of artistic value and strong social messages.
Photographer Abdelrahman Abdelmoneim Mustafa won first place for his work “He Who Strives, Reaches”. Moa’yad Tareq Mustafa took second place for “A Seat for Knowledge and Shelter”, while Osama Ibrahim Abdelrahman came in third with his piece “Hope Within Us”.
These works were selected after being nominated by a panel of expert judges, which included a distinguished group of photographers and specialists led by Dr. Bakri Al-Hadi, with Mr. Mohamed Nour El-Din and Mr. Musab Al-Imam as members. The shortlisted works then moved on to a public voting stage via Zain’s social media pages, where the competition saw exceptional engagement from over one million followers.
The first-place winner received a cash prize of five million Sudanese pounds, while the second-place winner was awarded three million, and the third-place winner received two million Sudanese pounds.
In a statement, the head of the judging panel, Dr. Bakri Al-Hadi, explained that the competition served as a real example of what simple creativity can offer during times of crisis. He pointed out that the majority of entries were marked by high artistic quality and a sincere spirit that conveyed reality without pretension.
He added that this initiative opens the door for Sudanese youth to present an alternative visual narrative to the prevailing tragic ones and helps establish a new path for documenting the current Sudanese moment, away from rumors and the discouraging content that has overwhelmed digital spaces in recent times.
Mr. Salah Fadlallah from Zain affirmed that launching the competition stems from the company’s deep belief in the positive role of content creators, especially in times of war, when a single image can tell a story, inspire a community, and plant hope where it is most scarce. He also noted that the competition succeeded in attracting entries from both professionals and amateurs, and that the strong public response reflects the Sudanese audience’s thirst for pure visual content rooted in reality yet infused with a spirit of resilience, dignity, and optimism.
At the end of the competition, the company extended its thanks to all participants and followers, the judging panel, and to all journalists and influencers who helped spread the initiative and kept pace with its stages. Zain emphasized that this first edition is only the beginning of a long journey of initiatives aimed at empowering youth, documenting their stories, and giving them a platform to reflect their true image and the image of the Sudan we all dream of.
Shortlink: https://sudanhorizon.com/?p=6423