In Ouagadougou, a group of photographers, educators, and local youth came together to build the Centre Photographique de Ouagadougou (CPO)—brick by brick, workshop by workshop.
The idea was simple: create a space where street children and young people could learn photography and use it to speak for themselves. The project was initiated and led by Warren Sare, with Ayzoh! actively supporting its development from the start—offering tools, guidance, and long-term collaboration.
Warren’s connection to the street isn’t abstract. He lived it. His work with young people isn’t a form of outreach, it’s a continuation.
At the CPO, photography is not taught as an art form but as a way of looking at the world—and of being seen in return.
The center is open to all. It’s a working space, a meeting place, and a starting point. In a city where opportunities are rare and quick to vanish, it offers continuity and respect.
Je suis la rue
One of the first outcomes of the partnership between CPO and Ayzoh! is the project Je suis la rue.
Built together with a group of street children, it documents life in Ouagadougou through their own eyes, without filters or framing from above.
The result is a raw and moving photographic narrative, later collected in a book available here, on ayzoh.org. The project continues. Je suis la rue is not about raising awareness. It’s about holding space—for presence, dignity, and complexity.
Warren: A Life in Images
Born in 1965 in Boulgou, Warren began photographing at age 13. For years he worked without proper equipment, driven by instinct and patience. His images—both personal and historical—carry that same patience still.
After returning from Abidjan in the late 1990s, he became one of Burkina Faso’s key photographers and a central figure in the region’s documentary scene.
His series Anciens Combattants, dedicated to West African veterans of colonial wars, is a work of memory without nostalgia. The portraits speak quietly, with respect and precision.
A Shared Direction
Warren’s work has been exhibited across Africa, Europe, and the US, but his focus remains local. The CPO is his daily space. His practice is built around teaching, mentoring, and working with those who don’t usually enter galleries or institutions.
Today, Warren is part of Ayzoh APS. His values and methods reflect the foundation of our work: listening deeply, building slowly, and working in real partnership with people on the ground.
What Comes Next
With Warren, Ayzoh! continues its long-term work in West Africa. Together, we develop projects that last—beyond headlines, beyond charity. The CPO is one of them. And it’s just the beginning.
