The Climate Crisis Is Also a Health Crisis - Sylvain Cherkaoui

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) 

"We are sending out an SOS, SOS" 

Extreme heat, floods, and droughts threaten the lives and health of countless people supported by Doctors Without Borders. With the music video “Oya – Clima Yaakaar,” the medical aid organization is sending out an artistic cry for help to draw attention to the health consequences of climate change. In the video, West African musicians and dancers combine art, rhythm, and reality into a powerful appeal: Action must be taken—now! The lyrics are based on the concerns of patients from particularly affected regions; their voices lend the video added power.  

French photographerSylvain Cherkaoui accompanied the video shoot in Senegal. He lives in Dakar, Senegal, and has been documenting the social and political life of West and Central Africa for over twenty years. His photos are moving because of their emotion, intensity, and passion. 

© Sylvain Cherkaoui