JEAN-PAUL Nkoy, a 74-year-old man living in the Molokay Forest between Kinshasa and Kongo Central, has chosen a life of harmony with nature, distancing himself from the urban chaos of Kinshansa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) marred by environmental degradation.
His self-sustaining Molokay Village stands in stark contrast to Kinshasa, where deforestation, erosion, and floods have created devastation.
Street and documentary photographer Joyce Kipunga from the DRC, documents Nkoy’s life in a virtual photography exhibition titled Molokay, l’écho d’un homme et de sa forêt, loosely translated to Molokay “echoes of a man and his forest”.
The exhibition opened on July 29 and will be accessible until August 31.
It is curated by Unpublished Africa, an organisation founded by Zimbabwean brand strategist Anesu Chikumba with advisory from Chido Nyaruwata of the Flames and Lillies Climate Initiative (Zimbabwe).
The organisation is a platform committed to creating entry-level opportunities and sustained support for African visual storytellers through exhibitions, publishing, and training programs.
To date it has worked with visual storytellers in over 25 African countries.
Their work prioritises representation, equity, and the power of art as a tool for advocacy and long-term social change.
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The exhibition comprises 26 photographs documenting life in Molokay Village, including Nkoy working the land and tending crops.
Some images portray women preparing food, while others reveal environmental degradation around human settlements.
It is a continuation of Unpublished Africa’s commitment to using photography as a social tool for awareness, advocacy and transformation, through its growing portfolio of exhibitions and programs.
This latest body of work builds on two key exhibitions by Unpublished Africa that advanced African visual storytelling as a tool for social impact.
The first, Unpublished Africa Photography Week that was themed Impact in Mind (November 2024), brought together 14 photographers from 12 African countries to explore pressing issues like climate change’s effects on vulnerable communities (SDG 13), the unseen challenges of healthcare workers (SDG 3), and the voices of marginalised groups (SDG 10).
Through workshops and discussions, the event encouraged artists to use their work for social change, framing photographers as active contributors to justice and community transformation.
Unpublished Africa further solidified its role in climate advocacy by curating an in-person exhibition at the Harare Climate Gathering, in partnership with African Climate Alliance, Flames and Lillies Climate Initiative and Sisonke Projects.
Featuring photographers from the DRC, Gabon, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe including Adebote Mayowa (Nigeria), Joyce Kipunga (DRC), Nyangone Tshimanga Sarah Naomi (Gabon), Chido Nyaruwata and Simphiwe Munyaradzi Moyo from Zimbabwe.
According to officials the exhibition highlighted urgent ecological challenges and community-led solutions.
Themes included flood resilience, collapsing fishing industries, waste innovation, and traditional adaptation methods.
“The showcase underscored how African communities are confronting rising seas, erratic seasons, and resource loss while harnessing local knowledge for climate resilience.”
Molokay represents Kipunga’s first solo exhibition.
As an alumna of Unpublished Africa’s Creative Business Studio (Cohort 3), she has previously contributed to group exhibitions including Impact in Mind (2024) and I’d Be Empowered If (2025).
“My sincere hope is that viewers will leave with a deeper understanding of the urgency of protecting our environment and that this awareness will inspire them to reflect on their own role in preserving nature,” Kipunga told NewsDay Weekender.
“We are deeply honoured that Joyce entrusted us with her first solo exhibition. She is a shining example of the kind of transformative storyteller we aim to support — documenting with empathy, and purpose,” Unpublished Africa founder Anesu Chikumba, added.
The exhibition is available to view online at https://www.unpublished.africa/molokay-joyce-kipunga-exhibition or on Unpublished Africa’s Instagram.
