3rd JoyNews Impact Makers Awards winner Geoffrey Kwame Buta shining a light through a lens of inclusion

It was a night of inspiration, resil­ience, and recognition at the third JoyNews Impact Makers Awards, held on Saturday, June 28, at the Ecobank Head Office in Accra Cen­tral.

Ten outstanding individuals from across Ghana were honoured for their extraordinary contributions to trans­forming vulnerable communities.

Among them stood Geoffrey Kwame Buta, a staff photojournalist with the New Times Corporation, publishers of The Spectator and The Ghana­ian Times, whose work continues to break new ground in disability inclu­sion through visual storytelling.

Buta, a multiple award-winning photojournalist, was recognised for his pioneering initiative Foto­4Change, which trains deaf students in visual storytelling.

His passion for empowering the marginalised took a transformative turn when he donated cameras and accessories and initiated a training programme at the Savelugu School for the Deaf in the Northern Region.

What began as a simple gesture of kindness blossomed into a pow­erful platform for amplify­ing unheard voices-giving students with hearing impairments the tools to tell their own stories, free from bias, and to pursue creative professions.

To date, Foto4Change has impacted students in five deaf institu­tions: Savelugu, Gbeogo, and Wa Schools for the deaf in Ghana; and at Harare Polytechnic and the Deaf Zimbabwe Trust in Zimbabwe, where two deaf students are cur­rently studying Mass Communication.

“The deaf and hear­ing-impaired commu­nities have powerful, emotion­al, and inspiring stories to tell. They only need the tools and the opportunity.

Foto4Change is a bridge to that future,” Geoffrey said after receiving his award.

He expressed profound gratitude to the team at Foto4Change and the Multimedia Group, particu­larly Joy FM, for creating a plat­form that recognis­es and uplifts change­makers whose work of­ten goes unno­ticed.

“This platform not only shines a light on our efforts but inspires us to keep going,” he noted. “It also sends a message to organ­isations and individuals that supporting people with disabilities is a responsi­bility we must all share.”

Buta also called for greater support both financial and technical for grassroots initiatives working with the deaf and visually impaired communities.

“With mentorship, access to tools, and consistent training, these young talents can grow into world-class professionals,” he added.

Surrounded by family, friends, and supporters, Buta encouraged fellow changemakers not to underestimate the ripple effects of their efforts.

“Whatever you’re doing in your small corner is contributing to something bigger,” he reminded the audience.

The JoyNews Impact Makers Awards, now in its third year, con­tinues to be a beacon of hope and national celebration for unsung heroes who are quietly reshaping Ghana’s landscape in educa­tion, health, social welfare, and sanitation.

From life-saving ini­tiatives in cancer care to Buta’s innovative work with the hear­ing-impaired, each awardee’s journey reminded the nation that true impact often begins where the spotlight rarely shines.

For Geoffrey Kwame Buta, the lens is a medium for justice, inclusion, and lasting change for people with disability.