The Uganda Press Photo Award (UPPA) was originally conceived in 2012 as a competition for Ugandan photojournalists and photographers who strive to keep the public informed of the daily news, sometimes at great risk to themselves. Over the years we’ve grown into a platform which not only promotes the best of today’s photojournalism and documentary photography in Uganda, but also supports a broad programme of visual literacy and visual education. We also seek to remind the viewing public of the importance of creativity, freedom of expression and vibrant press for democratic development. The award soon became just one small part of a much larger organisation, and in 2016 we established the FOTEA Foundation to support the growing scale of the award and other satellite activities. FOTEA's aim is to bring together photographers and other visual storytellers, to encourage unique voices that document and engage with social change in Uganda and East Africa. Activities now under the purview of FOTEA include the Awards, Emerging Photographer Mentorship Programme; workshops, photography talks and panel discussions, film screenings, portfolio reviews, and exhibitions.