I want to build Africa’s largest army of female photographers — Anicho Stella

Stella Anicho is a young woman with great ambition. The documentary photographer, visual storyteller, creative educator, and social impact advocate whose work intersects visual storytelling, women’s empowerment, gender inclusion, leadership, governance, cultural documentation, and community development uses photography as a tool for documentation, advocacy, representation, education, and social change, with a particular focus on amplifying underrepresented voices and preserving stories that shape communities.

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Currently, she serves as the Official Photographer to the Wife of the Governor of Abia State, documenting governance and human-interest stories around her and beyond.

But she has a very big ambition which is to build the biggest gathering of female photographers in Africa.

She tells FRED IWENJORA the whole story;  why she is doing what she’s doing and how she intends to achieve this seeming tall order. She also hints at her inspiration and daunting challenges ahead.

In a general overview of her activities, Anicho opens up that “Since January 2026, when I founded Her Bold Tribe (HBT), a women-centered social impact initiative to mentor and empower women and girls in leadership and community based interventions, I have not looked back employing my tool of immense advantage;  photography and storytelling to push for a better space for the girl child in a world that does not seem to have a room for such.

“My long-term vision is to build one of Africa’s leading communities for female photographers and visual storytellers.

In April 2026, I founded and launched HerLens, a women-focused documentary storytelling accelerator designed to address the gender gap in photography and visual storytelling.

I had thought that it would be hard and far-fetched but was pleasantly shocked to note that the programme received more than 150 applications from aspiring female photographers and visual storytellers across Nigeria.

About 75 out of these participants were trained virtually and 25 were selected for an intensive physical documentary storytelling bootcamp in Umuahia Abia State.

The visual story telling Bootcamp combined photography training, documentary storytelling, fieldwork, mentorship, and community building and was delivered in partnership with Canon climaxing with a public exhibition of 23 documentary works.

Also in July 2026, we expanded HerLens to Accra, Ghana, where we trained 11 participants extending our commitment to developing young female visual storytellers in Africa.

Again, in August 2026, we organised the South East Summer Creative Bootcamp, a  regional creative development platform connecting creatives including photographers,  filmmakers, content creators, designers, artists, and other from the five South Eastern states of Nigeria and beyond. We are encouraged to make it an annual event because of the turn out.

As part of the World Photography Day 2026 celebrations, I led a flagship photography training initiative that trained 174 participants.

On that day in collaboration with OP Visuals, the Abia State Ministry of Youth, and the Ministry of Art, Culture and Creative Economy, alongside industry speakers and practitioners we achieved this. In all we have not sat back since this year.

Yes, beyond creative education, we have been involved in community-based hygiene and menstrual health outreach programmes reaching over 250 adolescent girls in underserved communities with hygiene kits and educational resources. So you can say that I am all for the advancement of the girl child in Africa. It might interest you to note that I had earlier been more about fashion and esthetics making clothes so I thought it would be great to combine all in my creative senses. 

Why have you chosen to light up the path for young women? 

I grew to notice the vulnerability of the girl child in a world in which she has few opportunities. I also feel it is pay back time because I started from a church where someone took me in and trained me for free. I remain grateful to House on the Rock church Enugu and to Franklin Okanu (Bokehub) who gave me early tutelage in photography free of charge.

I then grew the purpose from work. I can say that working with Her Excellency First Lady of Abia state Priscilla Otti opened my eyes as to how much more I can do with my office to inspire young girls to excellence. 

In a nutshell I can say that Her Excellency inspired me so much. However beyond that, my mother also gave enough push. She would always breathe down our necks about being excellent, contributive and supportive to family and community. 

She always wanted us to understand that creation gave the woman enormous power and that a woman must be diligent to earn respect.

And I have imbibed the strong belief that a woman should have something doing and work towards financial independence.

So in summary, I want to bridge the gap of underrepresentation of women in the creative space especially in photography particularly in Abia, Nigeria, Africa and beyond. 

Secondly, I want to build Africa’s largest community of female photographers and to show more women what they can become if they put their mind to it. And I can see I am winning

You have received honor and recognition for these activities; are you encouraged? 

Of course yes.  I am human to whom every encouragement feels good.

In 2023, my photo documentary titled; Prejudice of a Girl Child received recognition, including an award from the Policy Innovation Centre (PIC), Abuja. I have also been recognized for documenting the International Women Leaders Conference, held in collaboration with the Foundation for Transparency and Accountability (FTA),  University of Manchester, and by the National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), Nigeria.

Aside these, I was nominated and have had further international experience and exposure including a four-day photojournalism workshop at the Dikan Center in Accra, Ghana. This workshop was facilitated by Pete Souza, former Chief Official White House Photographer to President Barack Obama, and Alice Gabriner, former White House Photo Editor. 

I also completed a three-day training at the AfCFTA (African Continental Free Trade Area) Accra,  Ghana in October 2025 and documented the International Women’s Conference in Marrakech, Morocco, capturing stories involving women leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and development practitioners. I guess these spurred me to begin to do something for African female photographers.

On the local front, in August 2026, I was nominated for the TAAI Awards in the Creative Excellence category, Abia State, in recognition of my contribution to the creative sector. All these I do not take for granted.

You must be getting so much funding for all these?

Not really. It is all about my determination to make something out of my whims. I invest mostly personal funds and free will support with no external funding yet. 

What next for your workaholic self?

I am currently developing a Guinness World Record attempt for the Largest Female Photowalk, an initiative aimed at increasing the visibility, participation, and representation of women in photography and visual storytelling.