AFRICAN MIDDLE CLASSES

MIDDLE CLASSES IN AFRICA IN 2025, 1 BILLION PERSONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE PART OF THE MIDDLE CLASSES, 96% OF WHOM WILL BE IN TODAY’S DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. THE AFRICAN CONTINENT ALREADY COUNTS 200 MILLION PERSONS BELONGING TO MIDDLE CLASSES. WHO ARE THEY?

THE EMERGENCE OF MIDDLE CLASSES IN AFRICA SEEN AND QUESTIONED BY A SINGULAR APPROACH, ASSOCIATING CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY PRODUCTION AND SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH. THIS IS THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED INITIATIVE ABOUT THIS POPULATION IN THE WORLD.

Today perceived as a symbol of Western lifestyle, worldwide middle classes should count one billion persons within 15 years, i.e. one person out of six.

Obvious in China and in India, this trend is only emerging in Africa but is already a growing reality. The demographic expansion of this population, which demonstrates increasing economic strengths and political implication, will entail deep changes.

Nowadays, 200 millions Africans enjoy such a Fragile Wealth that allows them to escape precariousness, to avoid the day to day instability and to consider investing in the future. With a birth rate lower than national averages, middle classes are largely urban, as jobs and studies opportunities can be found in cities, and consider education as a priority.

This “Middle Classes in Africa” project was produced in collaboration with various French and international institutions. It intends to understand and describe who this population is, and to describe its ties with the continent’s development. It does so by associating a significant body of photography work with original research, sound and written journalism.

Managed with the support of experts from the Political Science Institute (IEP) of Bordeaux and the French Development Agency, a team of French and African researchers first produced a preliminary analysis to precise a definition of this population, an essential task to better understand the present and future of Africa. Consequently, field research activities were conducted in five countries of different cultural areas (Cameroon, Morocco, Mozambique, Kenya, Ivory Coast).

In each country, an expert spent four months studying and specificities of the local middle class. They met and interviewed about fifty persons of varied profiles (man/woman, youth/pensioner, private sector / civil servant…).

These field inquiries offered the scientific background for the photo essays. During eight months, a photographer followed these persons in their everyday life, taking also a particular interest in events, places, traditions which characterize them. Work, education, religious or leisure activities are examples of the subjects addressed visually but also by recording audio footage.

The project thus realized more than 1000 photos and 12 sound tracks in

each country. By bridging between photography and research both practice could feed each other systematically.

This project reaceived significant public exposure: over 15 press portfolios publications (with image and text) in 12 countries worldwide. The photographs were exhibited at the French National Library (BNF) in Paris before touring Europe and Africa (5 countries). A dedicated website (www.classesmoyennes-afrique. org) was created to gather all related contents. A 128 pages book will be published in September 2011. The photo project was awarded a World Press Photo in 2010. Finally, a multimedia piece is being created that will be broadcasted on Lemonde.fr to faciliate the establishment of linkages between researchers and a community of over 100 Africans from the middle class until 2013.

The relevance of the approach declined in the «Middle classes in Africa» project led to the creation of a permanent research group dedicated to studying this subject within the IEP Bordeaux. Two PhD theses have also been initiated within this framework.

As it stands today, it is the most accomplished project about this population in the world.

Charles Kapié with his partner. At 30 years he has created and manages a consulting firm in agronomy and a cybercafé. Previously state employee he invested his 1st year of salary into its activity.

Kady with her «husband» in her student residence.

At 32 years she prefers to save money rather that to live in a more expensive apartment. Her parents, retired in Abidjan take care of her son.

At Sally’s, manager of a posh Chinese restaurant in the city center of Nairobi. She hosts two nieces and employs a nanny and a full-time cleaning lady. Bought a few years ago her apartment is located in a secure residence.

Michelle in her fitness center. Having studied in Europe, now she tries to work for a Cameroonian company but has difficulty adapting herself to their functioning. Her husband set up his own company a few years ago.

Abouziane is a young professor from Casablanca, he has been moved in the town of Taounate. He also gives courses in private schools to complete his salary.

For him middle classes are «warriors» to climb the social scale.

Girls of a private school in Nairobi photographed at the top of the building ICEA, the highest of the city.

Albert Ledoux is a chief editor of the radio and television Equinox, one of the most listened in Douala, economic capital of Cameroon. He manages about ten persons.

Ousmane playing golf in Kibera, considered as the biggest Africa’s township. He grew up there and still lives here. He is working as a general handyman.

Supermarket in Rabat

Wedding in the city center of Maputo.

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Exhibitions

1

World Press Photo

The exhibition presents a series of framed photographies, 2 large-sized panels (2*3m), a summary of the research work and some middle classes interviews. Exhibited at the atomnium of Brussels in 2009, at the BNF of Paris in 2011; the exhibition then started touring in Europe (Rome, Geneve, Paris) and Africa (Morocco, Gabon, South Africa in particular).

This body of photography work was also singled out by Bourse Kodak du Talent in 2010 and shortlisted for the prestigious Prix Pictet and Magnum Fondation in 2010.

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Press

Publications

in more than 12 countries : Le Monde, Géo, Jeune Afrique (France) ; Marie Claire, l’Espresso, Internazionale (Italy) ; Newsweek (Polonia) ; Cicero (Germany) ; Géo et Marie Claire International (Dubai, South Korea, Spain, Estonia, Thailand, ...). Five radio passages on RFI et France Inter. Two TV reports on France5 « Le Monde en Marche » and on Arte « Temps de Pause ».

1

Web-documentary

1

Book and 1 Magazine

By the end of 2011 LeMonde.fr will put online an interactive content about the African middle classes, made up of photos, sounds, interviews and texts as well as a specific video production. A 52 minutes documentary will be broadcasted on television. A multimedia platform will be created to prolonge the research work by allowing the analysts to maintain a dialogue with African middle classes.

Designed as a newspaper, this fanzine was printed in 1500 copies, format A3, and displays images, interviews but also researchers’ reports, and bibliographic suggestions, with a strong graphic identity. A photography book « Petite prospérité, les Classes Moyennes en Afrique» (128 pages, with 75 images and research works) will be published in September 2011 by the editor Images en Manoeuvre and distributed in all French bookshops.

«ASSOCIATING ACADEMIC WORKS AND PHOTOGRAPHS ALLOWS AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH WHICH CONVINCED US AND SHEDS LIGHT ON A DYNAMIC AFRICA» Henri De Cazotte / French Development Agency - AfD / External relations and Communication Director

The project « Middle classes in Africa » is a Collateral Creations’ project realized in partnership with the French Development Agency (AfD), the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (MAEE), Fujifilm, Picture Tank and the Study Center about Black Africa at IEP Bordeaux.

It also received UNESCO’s patronage.

Contact: Collateral creations joan@collateralcreations.com +33 6 82 25 28 99 alban@collateralcreations.com +33 6 03 34 19 36 www.classesmoyennes-afrique.org