Ep 39: Photojournalist Tobin Jones & His SuperGrannies Project About A Secret Society of Grannies
Born in Botswana to English and American parents, Tobin Jones has spent the majority of his life living on the African continent in Botswana, Malawi, Kenya and Somalia. Tobin has worked extensively throughout East and the Horn of Africa, particularly in Somalia, where for six years he documented the country's struggle with Islamic extremism, its emergence from over twenty five years of civil war, and its gradual rebuilding.
Tobin aims to use his photography to capture stories on the continent that might otherwise be overlooked. His photo essays have covered transgender issues in Kenya, homemade prosthetics in Somalia, traditional healing in slums and the demographic makeup of Kenya. Tobin is a Co-Founder of Nonaligned, where he works with a collective of storytellers working on socially relevant, visually beautifully crafted stories for digital consumption.
Tobin Jones’ work has appeared in multiple publications including The New York Times, The BBC, Time Magazine, The Huffington Post, and The Guardian. He has also worked for multiple international organizations and NGO's throughout the region, including UNHCR, WFP, the Danish Refugee Council, and USAID. His past photography awards include the Marty Forscher Fellowship Award, Echo Foundation Grand Prize Winner, Pride Photo Competition, and the Juror’s Choice Award in Visual Storytelling by LensCulture.
Tobin holds a bachelor’s degree in International Development Studies with minors in Economics and Political Science from McGill University and a Master’s degree in Photojournalism from the University of Westminster in London, England.
